The Malaysian Insight

A GROWING number of jittery parents in Kedah are no longer sending their preschool children to kindergarten over fears of contracting Covid-19 after a rise in the number of cases in the state.

Most are three- and four-year-olds, whose learning won’t be affected even if they stayed home, said the parents.

However, parents of older children, those between five and six and who start their primary education in the new year, are said to be keeping close tabs on the Sivagangga cluster that forced five schools to close.

Among those detected with the Covid-19 virus were two schoolchildren aged seven and 10.

The pandemic in the state was fairly well under control until the cluster. Since then at least one other cluster and other new infections have cropped up in Kedah.

Yesterday, three areas in Aman Jaya, Kedah, were placed under an enhanced movement-control order (EMCO) following a spike in Covid-19 cases.

The affected areas are Mawar, Kenanga and Melor, where health officials will screen 22,360 people.

Kindergarten Teachers’ Association Malaysia president Sally Ng said attendance at kindergartens had been only 80% since they were allowed to reopen on July 1 nationwide.

She said it was never 100% as fearful parents preferred keeping their children safe at home.

“When kindergartens were allowed to reopen in July, parents adopted a wait-and-see attitude.

“They observed the situation first with many preferring not to send their children back just yet.

“When situation improved beginning this month, they started to slowly let their children back to class.

“Then we were hit by this new outbreak and we’re back to square one,” she told The Malaysian Insight.

Fear of the pandemic is not the only cause of low attendance, she said.

Some parents have been hit hard financially by the enforcement of the MCO to stop the spread of the infection and have stopped sending their children altogether.

Kedah and Perlis Kindergarten Teachers’ Association president Woon Bek Poon said the fearful parents are also spooked by fake news on the pandemic in the state.

“It’s normal for them to worry but some parents are frightened by the fake news on kindergarten pupils contracting the infection.

“The impression they get is that the whole of Kedah is infected.”

Woon said the 70 members are operating as usual with an attendance of between 96% and 97%.

Ng said another outbreak in the state could see many kindergartens going out of business.

Many can’t afford to take another hit and won’t be able to survive, she said.

“If there’s another outbreak, parents will definitely not dare to let their children attend classes. If the number keeps spiralling downwards, operators simply cannot afford to absorb the costs, and will eventually be forced to close down.”

The pandemic is adding to costs as operators now have to prioritise safety and health guidelines to keep the children safe and stop possible transmission, she said.

“In addition to the children, we also have to take care of the parents who send them to school.

“Their parents could be exposed to the virus at their workplace.”

Woon said the same could be said of kindergarten staff.

Whenever they applied for leave, their kindergarten would have to advise them on the dos and don’ts in order to avoid bringing the virus to school when they report back.

“Even on public holidays, we remind teachers not to travel interstate.

“If they do, then they must undergo the 14-day quarantine and return to work only when they are clearly free of any infection.”

The Sivagangga cluster was first reported on July 28 and was started by an index patient – a 57-year-old restaurant owner who returned from India – who did not comply with the home-quarantine order. – August 28, 2020.