COMMENT | Recently, the Education Ministry (MOE) has announced the opening of schools for face-to-face learning in stages from Sept 1, 2021, starting with the SPM examination class. Later, this opening date was postponed to Oct 3, 2021.

By the time schools are opened for face to face teaching and learning on Oct 3, 148 school days have been missed this academic year. Out of that, our children have attended only 22 days of school face to face learning. The rest were done through online home-based learning (PdPR).

Officially, PdPR was still carried out during the school closure period, but its effectiveness is very minimal. In addition to the problem of the lack of gadgets and poor internet connection, many students do not have a conducive learning environment at home.

Children staying at home not only face a non-conducive learning environment but are exposed to other problems. There have been reports rise in cases of child abuse, sexual abuse, and other undesirable social problems, especially from low-income families.

Children’s development and mental health are...