Compiled by LIEW JIA XIAN C. ARUNO and R. ARAVINTHAN
KINDERGARTEN closures due to the pandemic have caused many young children to fail to master basic skills in listening, communicating and hand-eye coordination, with some five-year-olds reportedly not knowing how to hold a pencil, according to the Malaysian Association of Kindergartens.
China Press reported that its president Eveleen Khoo revealed the worrying trend was a direct result of many children not having enough opportunity to practise these skills in the past two years.
“Now that they are six years old, they are still afraid to go to school and will throw a tantrum. We have not encountered such a serious problem in the past.
“We are worried about how they will cope with attending Year One classes next year,” she said.
Khoo pointed out that while some pre-schoolers had the chance to attend online classes, many, especially those who live in rural areas, could not.
As such, they would not be fully prepared to join Year One classes, she said, adding that these challenges were expected to last between two and three years.
She urged parents and teachers to spend more time helping children to catch up.
“Preschool education is important for the future of every child. If they have the right (learning) attitude and know how to complete tasks, they will end up enjoying going to school.
“If they do not know many things, and seeing others who are able to do what they could not, this will cause them to grow fearful and lower their self-esteem,” she said.
> Malaysian actress Lin Min Chen got a chance to share the stage with Hong Kong singer Hins Cheung during a concert in Hong Kong recently, Sin Chew Daily reported.
The 31-year-old, dubbed the “Malaysian Goddess” by fans, brought a durian as a gift to Cheung on stage, and they performed a rendition of P.S. I Love You, which was one of Cheung’s old songs.
“I was the happiest woman in the world for the chance to duet on stage with Hins. A few months ago, I lost the opportunity to do so after the concert was cancelled due to the pandemic, which was why I had to confess (my feelings).
“I was so nervous. Thank you everyone for accepting me and welcoming me,” she said.
The above articles are compiled from the vernacular newspapers (Bahasa Malaysia, Chinese and Tamil dailies). As such, stories are grouped according to the respective language/medium. Where a paragraph begins with a >, it denotes a separate news item.