KUALA LUMPUR, May 17 — A week after the Aidilfitri holiday, learning continues for schoolchildren today with the home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) sessions for group B schools.

The group B schools (in Perlis, Penang, Perak, Selangor, Negeri Sembilan, Melaka, Pahang, Sabah, Sarawak, Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya) commenced their PdPR learning sessions today, until May 28.

For group A schools (in Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu) the learning session started yesterday, until May 27.

Several parents met gave a positive response, following the announcement of the implementation of PdPR for two weeks, made by Senior Education Minister, Datuk Dr Radzi Jidin, on April 26.

Social media user Azizan Abu Bakar said that he supported the decision of the Ministry of Education (MoE) for the implementation of PdPR, aimed at reducing the risk of Covid-19 infection that may occur outside schools during the festive season. 

"It is a win-win situation to prevent Raya clusters from spreading to schools, and early notification is very appropriate so that schools can plan PdPR materials for students before starting the Aidilfitri holiday,” he said in a posting on his Facebook account.

Noriah Saleh, 34, a mother of three schoolchildren, said her children are now getting better at learning by PdPR, using training modules provided by teachers before the Aidilfitri holiday started.

"Teachers would send messages through the WhatsApp application to parents, to remind their children and monitor them for subject training. Online classes also have a schedule and are more organised,” she said.

Meanwhile, a father of two schoolchildren, Yusri Mohd, 40, said that, as part of the initial preparation for the exam, he reminded his children to follow lessons on DidikTV if they could not follow online classes.

"To make sure they don't miss any lessons, I tell my children to watch television (DidikTV) to study in addition to reading notes and completing the exercises given by the teachers for daily revision,” he said.

On April 26, Radzi announced that after the PdPR period, students will continue their term holidays from May 28 to June 12 for group A schools, and May 29 to June 13 for group B schools. — Bernama