Jit Sin teachers to make do with old school desks
Old wooden school desks, etched with the puppy love confessions of its students, have become temporary tables for teachers at SMJK Jit Sin.
Its principal Ang Kooi Looi said six classrooms were converted into teachers’ rooms to ensure social distancing because the original teachers’ room was too small.
“There are 185 teachers here. The teachers’ room is just too small to fit all of them at one time during the new normal.
“So the classrooms with old desks will have to do for now.
“Each teacher will be using three desks and their workstations will be at least a metre apart,” said Ang yesterday.
Last week, the government announced the reopening of schools from today for students sitting for public and international exams.
She said 608 students of the school’s total of 2,349 students would return with several measures taken.
“We have 493 Form Five and 115 Form Six students.
“Upon arrival at any of the gates, they will queue at face-recognition scanners to mark their attendance and have their forehead temperature recorded.
“The scanners will remind them to wear face masks and it takes only two seconds to complete a scan,” said Ang.
As the number of tables per class are limited to only 20, she said the school would be using 38 classrooms to fit all the students.
She said that apart from dozens of markings on the floor, both elevators were marked to limit only four occupants while the canteen operator agreed to deliver food to classrooms.
“Students will order their food on a form and the caterer will deliver food to their classrooms.
“We converted the canteen into a waiting area so that students do not have to gather at the gates after school to wait for their transport,” she said.
Yesterday, contractors were rushing against the clock to complete the roofing above the walkway into the school while staff members were seen sanitising and installing final fixtures in accordance with the required standard operating procedure.
Hand sanitisers are placed outside each classroom.