MELAKA – A lecturer who was on a five-day stay at the Melaka International Trade Centre COVID-19 Quarantine and Low-Risk Treatment Centre (PKRC) from July 8 managed to organise informal classes for children there.
Assoc. Prof. Dr Zuraida Abal Abas from Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka’s (UTeM) Information and Communication Technology Faculty, said the impromptu classes began when she sat down with a group of children aged five to 11 years at the play area of the centre.
“During my third day there, I felt that I wanted to do something after seeing most of the children were just idling away their time. I then sat down with them and began teaching them how to draw and do some simple arithmetic.
“At that time, there were only drawing paper and a few pencils that could be used as teaching tools. After the ‘class’ ended in the evening, they asked if I wanted to continue at night and I immediately agreed,” she said when contacted by Bernama today.
Zuraida said that as the number of students increased suddenly, she sought the help of a medical practitioner there to get more paper and pencils, which the person did.
The mother of two, aged nine and 12, said that around 20 children followed her classes throughout the time she was treated there.
“From what I could see, the children missed their school environment immensely. They loved to learn after not being in school for over a year and were also very happy to socialise with others.
“I was deeply touched when some of the children presented a farewell card when I was allowed to leave. Until now, I still make video calls with them,” she said, adding that the children called her teacher during her time there.
Zuraida was diagnosed as category three COVID-19 positive on July 3 and underwent home quarantine before being treated at the PKRC. She was allowed to return home last Monday.
