Compiled by LIEW JIA XIAN, C. ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHAN

       The number of Form Four and Five students who switched from science stream to arts stream mid-way has increased compared to previous years, according to the National Union of Teaching Profession (NUTP), reported Sin Chew Daily.

       NUTP secretary-general Wang Heng Suan said in the past, only one or two students applied to switch in a year.

       However, more than 10 students have put in their application to switch from science stream to arts stream this year.

       This, he explained, was due to students not being able to cope with the syllabus because of the change in how teaching was carried out during the pandemic.

       Wang added that even though the Education Ministry had extended the 2021/2022 school year by two months as well as introduced the Pemerkasaan Pelaksanaan Kurikulum programme to help bridge the learning gap, students would not be able to learn as effectively as when they were being taught in class.

       “Some of the students who applied to switch from science to arts stream are suffering from psychological issues and require the help of doctors and counsellors.

       “Whether these students will be able to cope with the switch is also another issue,” he said.

       Despite the country facing the threat of the Omicron variant causing a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases, Wang believed that it was the right move to reopen schools.

       “If we prolong this (online classes), morale among students will be low and it will also make the teachers’ work harder.”

       > Malaysian singer Michael Wong, who has been stuck in Taiwan for the past two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic, missed his mother’s cooking during Chinese New Year, reported Sin Chew Daily.

       According to the singer, who is from Ipoh, his mother sent him photos of the dishes that his family had during their Chinese New Year Eve dinner.

       “It made me miss home even more!” he said.

       Wong, who loves the Chinese dish known as ‘Buddha Jumps Over the Wall’, had to be contented with ordering three bowls to celebrate the New Year.

       He also revealed that he was working on a new song.

       “I hope to be able to share the new song with everyone soon,” he said.

       > Taiwanese actress Ady An spent her reunion dinner in tears after her husband Levo Chen was believed to have been arrested for money laundering and illegal gambling operations, reported China Press.

       Chen, who is the chairman of junket operator Tak Chun Group, was believed to have been one among two suspects arrested by Macau police on Jan 28.

       While the police did not share the full names of the suspects, they identified them by their surnames, one of whom was a 49-year-old with the surname Chen.

       Sources close to An revealed that the actress had not been eating since her husband’s arrest and spent the entire Chinese New Year Eve crying.

       The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.