The Malaysian Insight

ON weekends, Muhamad Fairuz Mohd Arif goes to a mamak shop near his house in Semenyih, Selangor. He has a class to teach.

He usually arrives before his pupils. At the shop, the 42-year-old teacher joins two tables together to seat his boys, who are learning AutoCAD refrigeration and air-conditioning drawing.

The group from Kolej Vokasional Kajang have met regularly at the shop to study, for up to two hours at a time, since October, when educational institutions in Selangor were closed under the conditional movement-control order.

“The mamak is the best and most suitable place to study, moreover, I’m a regular here and I know the workers,” Fairuz told The Malaysian Insight in his “new normal” classroom.

Fairuz is one of the many teachers nationwide finding novel ways to continue lessons during the Covid-19 epidemic, especially for pupils who find online learning difficult or lack internet access.

He said the AutoCAD subject is an important one for the pupils who are sitting for the Sijil Vokasional Malaysia (SVM), the vocational equivalent of the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM).

“The lessons are better conducted face to face so that pupils can understand them better. I’ve told them that apart from weekday classes, those who are free on the weekends can join me for extra lessons,” said Fairuz, who has taught at the vocational school for 15 years.

To comply with social-distancing rules, each class at the mamak is limited to four.

The government’s decision to suspend school and delay major examinations has raised concern over the pupils’ academic progress.

This year’s SPM, SVM and Sijil Tinggi Agama Malaysia examinations have been postponed to February 22.

While the Education and Higher Education Ministries expect the teachers and pupils to go online for lessons, the reality is not so easy, said Fairuz.

Pupils face various obstacles, such as lack of access to devices or the internet.

“In a family with many pupils, there will not be enough tools and devices to go around,” he said.

Poorer families may not even have one computer for the children to share. 

Fairuz teaches on two platforms – Google Classroom for those with a laptop and internet connection, and WhatsApp group chat for those without.

“For those who come to the mamak and don’t have a laptop, I let them use mine,” he added.

The extra efforts also take up a lot of his time, Fairuz said. 

“I get my motivation from my pupils who are eager to learn. When school reopens before the exams, I will do test drills with them. I’ve also asked the stronger pupils to help the others so that everyone can comprehend and catch up quickly.

“I really want all of them to graduate and progress to the vocational diploma level.”

A November survey of 1,742 teachers by Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia found the respondents had more to do than just online teaching to enable the pupils to keep up.

Of those surveyed, 37% conducted lessons online, 16% offline and 45% a mix of both. Others went to community centres to distribute and collect the pupils’ assignments and notes.

Teachers also checked on their pupils, marked assignments, created teaching aids and performed administrative tasks.

Teachers, too, faced infrastructure challenges, such as access to the internet, computers and devices, and have to also grapple with issues with parents, and keeping the pupils focused during online lessons. – December 12, 2020.