WHEN we closed schools in October 2020, Covid-19 numbers were in the hundreds. Several months down the road, we are reopening when they are in the thousands.

Parents and children have been struggling to cope with the endless frequent changes thrown at us.

We understand the need to open the schools for the less fortunate and for those who are unable to cope. We understand the risk to social development and mental health of the children if they are kept at home.

However, we decided to keep our children home as we deemed the risk of contracting Covid-19 to be too great for our families. 

In July 2020, parents were given an option to keep their children home. The Ministry of Education has stated that we are allowed to do so by providing a letter to the school.

Unfortunately, we have received no support. When we requested our school teachers provide us with the list of homework to be completed, we were told to obtain it from a fellow student/classmate, whom we need to find ourselves.

We are at our wits end. We try to understand for every party, empathising with their difficulties. We understand the schools’ difficulties, the teachers’ workload and other parents’ concerns.

Yet, what about us? Who is empathising us? Why are we being blindsided?

At our own cost and time, we keep our kids home, providing them with as much education as we can and hoping for a little support from others so that we are allowed to do so.

Please, it has been almost a year, dear ministry, can we have a more holistic plan and support? Our children too need help. – February 25, 2021.

* Cathryn Seet reads The Malaysian Insight.

* This is the opinion of the writer or publication and does not necessarily represent the views of The Malaysian Insight. Article may be edited for brevity and clarity.