SEREMBAN: Times are totally different now as a new era of schooling experience dawns for the Gen Z. Many a schools are running with the changing times and it is not surprising to read about the use of superheroes and cartoon characters to welcome Year One students, in a hope of calming first-day jitters.
Here at SK St Paul, the school have taken note of current trends and as Year One students begin their first day at school today, a clown has been brought in, not only to keep the children entertained but to shine the spotlight on the fun in education.
“We’ve been doing this for the past five years but each year it is different. This is the first time we have brought in a clown,” said the chairman of the Parents-Teachers Association (PTA), Dr Mahadevan Deva Tata, who is also a former student of the school.
“The first day of school is very significant to the children and parents alike. Holding such an event is a positive boost to them. We picked out a clown due to its interactive character and he did a good job entertaining the children today – like giving out balloons,” said Mahadevan, a consultant surgeon at Hospital Tuanku Jaafar.
He said parents of millennial children now are more protective and proactive compared to those before the turn of the millennium.
“They don’t just drop their children off but also stay a while to observe how their children are doing.
“This morning, they were impressed with the reception we held, and commended that their children were well looked after.”
Being a parent himself, the good doctor said he understood parents’ anxieties and added that SK St Paul will endeavour to make formal education a wonderful experience for the children.
“Apart from the event today, we also celebrate the students’ as well as the teachers’ birthdays on a quarterly basis. We would hold an assembly, complete with birthday cakes and sweets, for the students and teachers to celebrate together.
“At SK St Paul, we celebrate festivals like Hari Raya, Chinese New Year and Deepavali in a big way. For instance, we would hold “how to make” dodol and muruku sessions during those celebrations, and we would light up “tanglung” (Chinese lanterns) and take the kids for a walkabout in the school’s neighbourhood.”
Headmaster A. Santhanasamy, meanwhile, said the idea was the fruit of discussion between the school’s board of governors and the PTA, to create a welcoming atmosphere for the new and returning students.
“Not only was the clown stationed at the main gate to welcome the Year One students but he also accompanied them to their classes, making them feel at home.”
SK St Paul has 110 children enrolled for Year One and 600 returning students, under the tutelage of 50 teachers.