PM suggests schools go single session to keep kids safe

KUALA LUMPUR:

How it will work: Pupils to stay in school until 4pm, taking part in co-curricular activities, sports or study periods where they can complete their homework under watchful eyes of teachers.

Worried about the safety of young children, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi has suggested that single session schooling be introduced to keep them under watch for longer periods of time.

He said pupils would have lengthier school sessions, thus placing them under the protective eyes of their teachers.

Where both parents worked, Abdullah said they would feel better knowing that their children were in school during office hours.

"It has crossed my mind that there are so many parents who work these days and cannot be at home when their children return from school.

"Is there a possibility for us to think of single school sessions where the students start in the morning, but their day at school is extended to 4pm?

"It will be a massive exercise, but if it can be done, parents will have the peace of mind knowing that their children are safe in school," he said after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting at Menara Datuk Onn yesterday.

Abdullah said a longer school day would enable pupils to take part in extra-curricular activities, sports, or study periods where they do their homework.

He suggested that students be allowed to leave at 4pm, so that they could be picked up by their parents or take the school bus back and arrive home to be with their families.

In light of the recent murder of 8-year-old Nurin Jazlin Jazimin, Abdullah said he felt that longer school hours could be one way to secure child safety.

Nurin, a student of Sekolah Rendah Kebangsaan Desa Setapak, went missing after going to a night market near her house in Section 1, Wangsa Maju, on Aug 20.

The girl's body was found stuffed in a sports bag left in front of a shoplot, bearing evidence of sexual abuse.

Asked if action could be taken against Nurin's parents for negligence, Abdullah said he did not wish to comment as it would be tantamount to placing the blame on them.

"We do not know what really happened. Negligence, as a matter of principle, is a very serious matter.

"We want parents to be responsible for their children and ensure that no harm comes to them."

Abdullah said the Rukun Tetangga would be re-emphasised so that communities could work together to ensure the safety of children in the area.

"They can act as vigilantes and monitor what goes on in the residential area. Strangers can be detected and crimes prevented.

"The police force will also work hard to combat crimes against children," he said.

Meanwhile, the Education Ministry has begun working towards having single session schooling despite some difficulties.

Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein said there were problems due to space and land constraints, especially in the cities.

However, he was confident of achieving the aim.

"It has been the dream and target of the Education Ministry to have single session schooling," he told the New Straits Times.

He added that he had given the permission to build three-storey schools to compensate for the lack of space and land.

At present, he said, there was already a three-storey school building at SMK Jalan Cochrane.

"For those schools already in single session, we have done pilot projects to extend school hours for sports and co-curriculum.

"But, I'm not ready to announce our findings yet," he added.

In the National Education Blueprint 2006-2010, the ministry states its aim to have 90 per cent of all primary schools and 70 per cent of secondary schools as single session schools by 2010.

Credit to : New Straits Times

---

Pak Lah mencadangkan sesi pesekolahan dilanjutkan sehingga jam 4:00 petang. Rasionalnya ibu bapa tidak dapat bersama anak-anak ketika mereka balik dari sekolah kerana kedua-dua ibu bapa bekerja. Dikhuatiri ruang masa diantara waktu anak-anak balik dari sekolah dengan waktu ibu bapa pulang dari bekerja akan memberikan mereka ruang untuk terdedah kepada gejala jenayah.

Aku kurang bersetuju dengan cadangan ini. Sebab-sebabnya :

1. Lebih baik jika kerajaan dan polis memastikan keselamatan pelajar dimana jua mereka berada, bukannya 'mengurung' mereka di sekolah selepas waktu persekolahan. Berapa lama kita perlu 'mengurung' pelajar di sekolah hanya kerana persekitaran yang kurang selamat? Mungkinkah 'mengurung' pelajar akan menambahkan lagi masalah disiplin?
2. Perubahan sesi persekolahan tidak akan membawa sebarang perubahan jika masyarakat dan pihak polis mengabaikan tanggungjawab masing-masing. Ibu bapa perlulah lebih bertanggungjawab mengenai anak-anak mereka, kenali rakan-rakan anak-anak mereka dan mengambil tahu di mana anak-anak mereka berada. Jika ibubapa mengabaikan kebajikan anak-anak mereka, mereka hendaklah didakwa dan dikenakan tindakan.
   
3. Ibu bapa perlu mengambil inisiatif dan tanggungjawab untuk memastikan keselamatan anak-anak mereka. Tanggungjawab menjaga anak janganlah dilepaskan kepada kerajaan/sekolah.
   
4. Waktu yang terlalu lama di sekolah akan menyebabkan pelajar merasa letih. Kebiasaannya pelajar mula berasa mengantuk pada waktu tengah hari. Bayangkan jika pelajar berada di sekolah sehingga pukul 4:00 petang.
5. Kita juga perlu memikirkan mengenai guru-guru. Guru-guru juga mempunyai komitmen dan tanggungjawab mereka terhadap keluarga. Adakah kerana satu kes, guru-guru terpaksa memikul satu lagi tanggungjawab, iaitu sebagai pengasuh?
6. Persoalan mengenai keselamatan tidak pernah diutamakan. Kejadian yang menimpa Allahyarham Nurin Jazlin berlaku pada waktu malam, di luar waktu persekolahan. Keselamatan perlulah dipertingkatkan terlebih dahulu. Janganlah kita menjadi seperti enau yang melepaskan duri masing-masing.