JOHOR BARU: As the new school term begins today, parents are trying to adapt to the Education Ministry’s guidelines in compliance with Covid-19 standard operating procedure.

       Art teacher Koh Wei Jing said her two daughters had different schedules this new term – her Year Six daughter is heading back to physical classes while her Year Four child is staying home this week.

       “Although the younger girl will only attend face-to-face classes next week and alternate weeks after that, I will make sure she sticks to a routine and completes the daily school work that her teachers upload via Google Classroom.

       “As my girls do not go for tuition, I have bought reference books for them as they are expected to spend more time at home,” the 38-year-old said in an interview yesterday.

       Koh said she had prepared a checklist each for her daughters to refer to when they pack their school bags which included extra face masks and hand sanitiser.

       “I want them to be disciplined and to take responsibility should they forget to bring something,” she said.

       Businessman Mohd Sulaiman Shahruddin, 40, said he enrolled his Year Four son for tuition classes for this new school term.

       “The rotational classes will be tougher on families with working parents, like in my case, my wife is back to working in the office and I have a business to take care of.

       “We did not plan to send our only son for tuition but the current situation calls for it and we have to make sure he catches up on his weak subjects,” he said.

       According to the Education Ministry, pupils in Years Three, Four and Five from schools with an enrolment of over 600 pupils will attend classes on a rotational basis in the new school term.

       Years One, Two and Six, as well as those with special needs in SK Pendidikan Khas, Integrated Special Education Programme and Supplementary Food Programme recipients will attend physical school sessions without rotation.

       For secondary schools, all students will undergo home-based teaching and learning for two weeks starting today and on April 4, they will start physical classes without rotation.

       For primary schools with fewer than 600 pupils, all public and private school pupils, including expatriate schools and international schools, are required to attend face-to-face classes without rotation.