Mixed views on online classes
LAHAD DATU: The implementation of virtual teaching and learning from home (PdPR) this Wednesday, except for examination candidates, has received mixed reactions from parents.
Following the implementation of Movement Control Order (MCO) in Sabah as well as other states, the government has decided that 2021 school session will not involve faceto-face learning.
This situation has raised concern to some parents while others accept the decision with open heart.
To some parents, the implementation of PdPR means less learning efficiency for their children while others think it is good as it will be safer for their children to learn from home.
Norhafizah Salwati Abd Rahim said online classes come with advantages as well as disadvantages. Although students will stay safe in their respective homes, it will also mean that students may not fully understand the lesson.
She said virtual classes that are carried out through Google Meet or Zoom, or Social Media Live application may be effective because there is two-way communication between students and teachers.
However, she said classes through WhatsApp or Telegram group maybe less effective and will cause loads of school work, especially to parents who have more children.
“The government needs to come up with solution in this ma er as I believe this condition will continue for a relatively long period of time.
“Although we will receive vaccine for Covid-19 soon, we will still need to wait to achieve the herd immunity and we are still unsure of the acceptance of Malaysians towards the vaccine,” she added.
To Ainul Durmahyanty Durming, the implementation of PdPR through WhatsApp group is quite hard as some parents only have one mobile phone at home to receive the school work.
“Imagine those with three or more children, how do their parents cope with the loads of school works.
“I believe that not all parents could provide facilities such as mobile phone or computer for each of their children while some areas do not have good internet coverage to carry out classes through Facebook Live or Google Meet.
“That being said, another alternative is needed to solve this problem. I heard that some schools provide school works for Monday to Friday by hand where parents will collect the school work at the school on the fixed day and return it while collecting the new ones. This is a very good effort,” she added.
Meanwhile, Mohd Alias Mahmud, 38, thought that PdPR is an effective way to keep their children safe especially during the spike of Covid19 cases.
Alias said he had learnt a lot from the past online classes which were conducted following the implementation of MCO and Conditional MCO.
“As soon as I learnt that the children need to undergo PdPR for 2021 school session, I bought some equipment, stationery as well as things that are needed to ensure my kids’ online classes will go smooth.
“For example, I bought the cable that will made printing for school work much easier which I can print from my phone,” said Alias.
According to him, he also prepared complete stationery including color paper, drawing blocks, all kind of colors as he learnt from the past that not all shops were open during MCO.
He said it was important to prepare all these as it was hard to guess what the teacher, especially art teacher will use for lesson.
Due to lack of sources, Alias said his children had missed some classes and this year he planned to let them attend online classes perfectly.
To Ahmad Aflan, 33, the most important thing for parents to help their children undergoing the PdPR is time.
Aflan said parents should carefully arrange their times so that they will be able to help their children to study, not only giving the school work or lesson to their children.
He said that during this crucial time, parents need to make sacrifice and shoulder the responsibility as teachers so that the children will be able to learn.
“This is a difficult time for all, we should help each other and patch up any necessary holes by playing more roles.
“I believe that the government is thinking of the best way and while waiting, the school and parents can think of other alternatives to help the students,” he added.