KUALA LUMPUR: Teachers have called on parents to play their part in preparing their children for their return to school on June 24.
They believed that with more than half the curriculum yet to be covered in the remaining school year, it would require a concerted effort by all parties to ensure that the schoolchildren's interests are taken care of.
Congress of Unions of Teachers in the Malaysian Education Service secretary-general Mohd Said Hussin said schoolchildren could be mentally and physically ready to continue the curriculum with the help of their parents.
"It has been three months since they last received guidance from their teachers physically. They will now have to enter a different situation.
"They don't have much time left to complete this year's curriculum before the year-end exams.
"As such, parents need to help their children focus and prepare them for the exams," he said.
West Malaysia Religious Teachers National Union president Muhd Fadhli Jusoh addressed the doubts some parents and schoolchildren might have on the safety aspects of reopening schools.
He called on teachers to be courageous and set an example in braving the new normal.
"It is important that the teachers lead the way and inspire confidence in schoolchildren and parents.
"If we are brave enough to face the situation, everyone can do it as well," he said.
Peninsular Malaysia National Union of College Graduate Teachers president Sahibul Bahrin Ahmad urged teachers to focus on the Teaching and Learning Programme (PdP).
Failure to do so, he said, could see teachers face difficulty in completing the curriculum.
"They need to assign tasks focusing only on the PdP.
"Teachers should also carry out lesson plans based on the remaining days of the 2020 schooling period.
"Don't be distracted by other co-curricular activities, such as research and unrelated outside programmes," he said.
Association of Vocational and Technical Education Teachers of Malaysia president Razak
Md Radzali said the priority among technical and vocational training and education (TVET) schools would be on social distancing.
He said as TVET lessons involve lots of skills training, the schools would reduce the number of students per classroom to minimise the risk of Covid-19 infection.
"Normally, a classroom would consist of between 20 and 35 students, subject to the availability of equipment.
"During this period, however, we will limit it to no more than 20 students per classroom to ensure social distancing is practised."
Priority, he said, would be given to students who are about to take examinations, such as the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia, Malaysian Vocational Certificate, Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia and international equivalent examinations.