Schools in hospitals
FORMAL AND STRUCTURED EDUCATION FOR SCHOOLCHILDREN
ADAM M. Nazri sat on his bed at the Pa edi at ric Ha em a to logy and Oncology ward in Pusat Perubatan Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (PPUKM), a mask covering his mouth and nose to protect him from catching bugs brought in by visitors.
With permission from the attending nurse, he carefully removed the mask for the interview and smiled shyly.
The 12-year-old from Temerloh, Pahang is in his fourth cycle of chemotherapy treatment to treat leukaemia. Every two months Adam checks into the hospital ward for treatment. As he requires treatment over a lengthy period of time, and because the chemotherapy lowers his immune system and makes him vulnerable to diseases, Adam cannot attend regular school.
During his stay at the ward, when his doctor pronounces him fit to attend lessons, a teacher from PPUKM Sekolah Dalam Hospital (SDH) unit will come by his bed and tutor him. Lessons are usually from 10am to noon and from 2pm to 4pm, covering the core subjects of Bahasa Malaysia, English, science and mathematics.
Lessons at the paediatric wards as well as at the SDH Ward are carried out after PPUKM SDH supervisor Norazura Ab Aziz prepares the daily schedule. In the mornings, after receiving the list of patients certified as clinically fit to attend SDH for the day, she creates a timetable for the seven teachers and their young patients.
With 29 years of teaching experience under her belt, Norazura is at ease helming the team of teachers at SDH in PPUKM. “I love what I do here. It comes with its challenges that are different from the ones I faced in a regular day school but I don’t let that hold me back,” she said.
0ne of the challenges is the very limited amount of time to prepare the day’s schedule after the doctors do their rounds at the wards and certify the patients as clinically fit for lessons, and then plan individual lessons.
The other PUKM SDH teachers — Teoh Hooi Leng, Norsaadah Mohd Nasir, Jeyanthi Jegatheesan, Fauziah Haron, Nor Aisah Parijan and Nur Farhana Ramli — help Norazura as much as they can. Each teacher teaches two subjects, and a total of six periods for two classes. Each teacher also teaches a minimum of six pupils with a maximum of up to 15 a day.
Teachers are given an hour each day to plan their lessons for each student. At the scheduled times, they carry out lessons either at the classroom located next to the wards for those who are mobile, or at the patient’s bed in the wards.
Teoh, who has been teaching in various schools in Kuala Lumpur for 30 years, joined PPUKM SDH because she wanted to try something different and challenging. In her position as SDH assistant supervisor, she feels that she can be a good teacher as well as do charity work for the children at the wards.
The SDH concept is a collaboration between the Education and Health Ministries to assist with the educational needs of schoolchildren between the ages of 4 and 18 who are in hospital. The main criteria to be eligible for the SDH programme is certification by doctors as clinically fit to learn. Fifteen SDH units have been set up at various government hospitals all over the country.
The SDH initiative is aimed at providing sustained formal and structured education in a conducive environment for schoolchildren who are hospitalised. This is to ensure that education can be accessed by all children without limitations, regardless of their circumstances.
The other requirements for a child to attend PPUKM SDH are: that he must be a Malaysian citizen; is currently attending a government-run school, a private school or is home-schooled; and is receiving treatment at a ward, clinic or daycare ward at PPUKM. The child must also have a referral from a doctor; is staying at Rumah Ronald McDonald (an affordable and comfortable accommodation offered to families of patients within the grounds of PPUKM) and has permission to attend the school from their parent or guardian.
Adam’s mother Siti Noresah Mohd, who stays with him at the hospital, said that she is glad her son can attend SDH so that he can continue to receive basic education and does not lag behind other children his age.
When he is discharged from hospital after his cycles of treatment are over, the SDH unit will provide a report on his academic progress and achievements so that he can transition smoothly into a regular day school near his home.
Adam, whose favourite teacher is Teoh, said: “I love attending school in the hospital because the teachers are patient and nice. I also have many friends here who study at the school and who are in the same situation as me.
“The lessons are fun and not at all boring. The way the teachers teach me makes it clear and easy to understand too!
“My favourite subjects are mathematics and science and I like it that sometimes I get to use an iPad to learn.”
It is scheduled that by November, the paediatric wards will shift to Hospital Pakar Kanak-Kanak with its own building.
“With bigger premises, we anticipate that the school is poised to expand,” added Norazura.