JOHOR BARU: Form Six Semester 2 students here are eager to go back to school, especially as the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examination is only weeks away.

       SMK Skudai student G. Leviashini, 19, said the reopening of schools was a relief for her as she would now have time to meet her teachers for some last minute preparations ahead of STPM.

       “We can finally go back to school on Oct 10. This will give us about two weeks to prepare for our Semester 2 STPM examination that begins on Oct 25.”

       “That time is very precious as I have an opportunity to ask my teachers questions before sitting for the exam,” Leviashini said.

       Another student from SMK Skudai, Maria Madelina Jani Arshad, 19, said the past five months of studying online was challenging.

       “I am grateful to have the chance to return to school before sitting for my Semester 2 STPM examination.

       “I am really looking forward to going back to school and meeting my friends again,” she said.

       SMK Aminuddin Baki student Muaz Abdul Fatah, 19, is also looking forward to reconnecting with his friends.

       “It has been five months since we were in school. I miss studying with my friends,” he said.

       He hoped that schools would not have to close again after this.

       “It is stressful to have to catch up with the syllabus again,” he said.

       Johor education, information, heritage and culture committee chairman Mazlan Bujang said schools would reopen on Oct 10 for Form Six Semester 2 students in Johor as the state had only moved to Phase Two of the National Recovery Plan (NRP) on Sept 24.

       “We could only reopen schools for the students involved two weeks after the state has reached Phase Two of the NRP.

       “As such, schools would only reopen on Oct 10 and not on Oct 3,” he said.

       There are an estimated 4,209 Upper Six students in Johor.

       Johor English Language Teaching Association president Vincent D’Silva lauded the reopening of schools, especially for students facing major examinations.

       Community and Private Mobilisation Group chairman Datuk Yahya Jaafar said that parents were also looking forward to the reopening of schools.

       “They are relieved as this would allow their children to concentrate better on their studies,” he said, adding that the inoculation process of teenagers was also running smoothly.

       Preschoolers are also expected to attend physical classes again this month.

       Gabungan Taska dan Tadika Malaysia coordinator Roszlinda Sham said about 90% of preschools had submitted their applications to the relevant departments.

       “However, only about 30% have been given the go-ahead to open their centres,” she said.