Bandar Seri Begawan - Student attendance on the second day of school yesterday was evidently higher compared to the first day. Several primary schools in Belait District reported an increase in student attendance compared to the average attendance of only 60 per cent on Monday.

Sekolah Rendah Paduka Seri Begawan Sultan Omarali Saifuddien, Kuala Belait in a statement yesterday said that the self-quarantine at home of one of its teachers was among the factors contributing to the low attendance of students on the first day of school, in addition to rumours that one of its students was infected with the influenza A (H1N1) virus.

However, School Assistant Principal Dayang Maisalamah binti Haji Tuah, in an interview with the Borneo Bulletin, clarified that the teacher is only quarantined at home for a period of a week until Saturday and is expected to start teaching next week. Furthermore, the teacher is only a suspected case and is being quarantined after returning from a holiday overseas.

Meanwhile, a Primary Five student is also a suspected case and is currently under self-quarantine at home following a holiday trip overseas and is expected to return to school next week.

The school has taken preventive measures, which included checking the students' temperature prior to entering class and providing facemasks to students who are suffering from flu or cough.

The school has taken the initiative to purchase facemasks for students who require them as well as hand sanitizing gel using the school's funds. The school has 500 students. The bottles of hand sanitizing gel are placed outside the toilets, inside the school's administration room and at the school canteen.

In terms of learning, Dayang Maisalamah said that the one-week school holiday extension had affected the student's learning process, particularly students in Primary Two, Three, Four and Five who will sit for the third term school examinations this September. The one-week school closure caused the students to miss one topic in every learning subject, particularly Mathematics.

In relation to that, the students have been given additional homework upon their return to school, including during the school holiday extension when parents were called to school to collect the homework prepared for their children.

Several school activities have also been cancelled which include the daily assembly, music courses and co-curriculum learning and physical exercise. Students' social gatherings are also restricted during recess with students instructed to return to class after purchasing food and drinks from the canteen.

-- Courtesy of Borneo Bulletin

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