Boarding school students adapting well to new normal
IPOH: Many students felt uncomfortable and awkward when they have to practise the new norms such as wearing face masks, recording body temperature and having to wash their hands or apply hand sanitiser regularly when schools reopen.
In fact, it is more challenging especially for fully residential school (SBP) students who live in the dormitories.
However, after several months of embracing the new norms which are among the standard operating procedures (SOP) to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic, SBP students can now adapt to the practice that has become part of their lives.
For Sekolah Tuanku Abdul Rahman (STAR) student, Iyad Phaqif Khairuddin, 16, at first he felt awkward when he needed to wear face mask during school sessions besides having to comply with physical distancing including while in the dining or prayer halls.
“For example, during prayers, we need to bring our own mats and tazkirah needs to be cut short or sometimes no tazkirah at all. We were quite affected at first. But over time we (students) can get used to it,” said the third of five siblings from Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur.
Mohd Fareez Fairuz Fais, 16, who is also STAR student, said adapting to the new normal may seem tedious, but it could prevent Covid-19 infection and also other diseases.
As a prefect, Mohd Fareez said he also helped the school to ensure that the new norms were followed by other students such as queuing when entering the cooperative which limited to only five people at a time.
Meanwhile, STAR senior assistant for student affairs Shahnun Abdul Ghani said the school implemented educational, announcement and enforcement approaches to ensure that students and staff, including teachers, practise the new norms as set.
He said the educational approach was to provide information to students on the dangers of Covid-19 and how to prevent infection by complying with the rules outlined by the school and the Ministry of Education (MOE).
“The school also makes announcement using loudspeakers reminding students to practise new norms and comply with SOP. Through enforcement, some teachers are assigned to monitor students, especially during recess. In dormitories, wardens will monitor dorms, dining hall and surau,” he said.
Shahnun explained that due to the risk of Covid-19 infection, shaking hands between students and teachers is not practised anymore and the morning assembly every Monday is suspended.
He said to ensure physical distancing in the dining hall, Form One, Two and Three students would eat first after the school session ends at 2 pm, followed by Form Four and Five students half and hour later.
“The same approach is also taken, for example for Maghrib prayers at the surau, Form One, Two and Three students will pray immediately after the call to prayer while Form Four and Five students will eat first. After the first group finishes praying, the second group will pray.
“For Friday prayers, although the surau can accommodate 600 students, the school has made a rotation system due to the need for physical distancing. Students who cannot pray this week will pray next week and vice versa,” he said, adding that the school has 655 students and 59 teachers.
On the new norm in all 28 dorms in the school, Shahnun said each dorm, which has bunk beds and single beds, could accommodate between 20 and 25 students.
Shahnun said the school management also planned various activities such as data and computer programme classes to fill students’ time, especially on weekends because they could not engage in sports involving many participants, apart from not allowed to go out of the school compound.