KUALA LUMPUR: AFTER being devoid of students for almost four months, schools yesterday welcomed back students to classrooms, albeit under strict guidelines to prevent any potential Covid-19 outbreak or transmission.
The second phase of students' return to schools involved students in Form 6 (Semester 1), Forms 1 to Form 4, and Year 5 and Year 6, as well as remove classes.
Some students, despite their excitement at being reunited with friends, appeared intimidated by some of the standard operating procedures (SOP) in place.
For Mohamad Fahim Arif, 14, adhering to the SOP was the biggest challenge for him yesterday.
The Form 2 student of SMK Panglima Besar in Kulim, Kedah, said he had to get used to many things, including social distancing.
"For example, there's no guarantee that we would be 1m apart when we're walking along the corridor to classes. Some students walk closely to one another.
"We're also getting used to having face masks on at all times. When it comes to going to the toilets, only three people are allowed to go at any one time and that's three people from an entire block," he said.
He said some students also, due to their own carelessness, didn't get their food during recess.
"We had our food orders taken in the morning, and the pre-packed food was sent to us during recess. Some students, however, weren't paying attention when the teacher was taking orders.
"So there was some drama when they didn't get their food during recess," he quipped.
However, Fahim believed students' attitude towards SOP adherence would improve over time.
"It's only the first day, after all. I think that students will eventually take the SOP more seriously and improve," he said.
Nur'adani Mohd Nizam, a Year 6 student of SK King George V in Seremban, Negri Sembilan, said there was some initial awkwardness in her "first day of school".
"It is a big change to my daily routine. I definitely need some time to get used to this new schedule, not to mention the SOP," she said.
She said she found online classes easier as she could adjust her schedule accordingly.
However, she said her school had done a good job in implementing the SOP.
"The school made sure that there was enough soap and hand sanitiser to go around and also that our hands were clean at all times.
"They also helped prepare food for students who didn't bring any for recess. All these helped students adapt to the new conditions today," she said.
Nur'adani's mother, Azwan Shaiza Nizam, 50, expressed relief that students were being eased back into classroom learning.
"I think primary school students need face-to-face classes more compared with those in secondary school.
"They need more guidance and are perhaps not quite ready to be immersed in self-learning, like what they had to do during the Movement Control Order (MCO)," she said.
Azwan Shaiza said her daughter's school went to great lengths to help parents prepare their children for the return to school.
"The school briefed parents on the SOP, the traffic flow from the school gates, and much more.
"I think the school, like many more across the country, is doing its best.
"I'm indebted to all the teachers for their efforts in caring for our children in the classroom."