Students excited to return to school despite facing closure on Feb 28

BUTTERWORTH: Even though the Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Assumption in Bagan Dalam is scheduled to be closed for good on Feb 28 after operating for 89 years, the atmosphere at school grounds is full of excitement as students are happy and eager to attend physical classes today.

A check by Bernama at the school found students were enthusiastic and came early to attend their school sessions based on the stipulated standard operating procedures (SOPs).

One of the parents, Emi Saufiah Ahmad Malkan, 36, who works as a clerk, said her son, Muhammad Ammar Haziq Muhd Afiq, 8, woke up early and was excited to attend face-to-face classes again.

"Ammar, who is now Year One, and will enter Year Two, is overjoyed to go to school today, but at the same time, feeling sad as the school will cease operations next month. The school is located close to our house and easy for the residents to send their children to the school.

"As a parent, I hope that the discussions can be carried out with relevant authorities so that school will continue operating," she said when met at the school today.

Sharing Emi Saufiah's sentiment is Marziani Mahathir, 34, who said that her nine-year-old son, Muhammad Rayyan Mikail Mohd Rafie, who previously had a hard time waking up in the morning, did not complain at all because he was excited to go to school today, and the boy did prepare his uniform and school bag over past two days.

"He never complain to get up for school this morning, instead he wanted to get ready fast because he was so excited to go to school and meet his friends. We just hope there is a solution regarding the school closure decision.

"The kids are happy to go to school because they have a lot of friends," she said.

Yesterday, Bernama reported that the school's licence would be revoked upon the closure, as the private landowner (Sri Avenue Sdn Bhd) has requested for the return of the land and building "as soon as possible".

The Save Assumption School Joint Task Force is hoping that the Penang Education Department will immediately approve the registration of the pro-tem board of governors for SK Assumption in Butterworth, in a bid to save the school.

Its spokesman, Vernon Fernandez was reported as saying that the pro-tem board of governors, which includes representatives from the Parent-Teacher Association, the Alumni Association, the landowner and the Diocese of Penang, was set up last year, primarily as a legal platform to solve the issue of the school and its premises.

-- BERNAMA