KUCHING, Jan 3 — The shops selling school supplies at India Street Pedestrian Mall here have not been receiving many customers, despite the scheduled reopening of schools nationwide next week.
An observation yesterday showed only a small number of people going to the shops with their school-going children – a stark contrast to the pre-pandemic days when the area would be crowded by parents and caretakers looking for uniforms, shoes, stationery items and other supplies before the end of the school holidays.
“Since last week, there have not been many parents shopping for their children’s school supplies.
“Maybe they do not want to buy too soon as they’re not sure when the schools are going to reopen – yes, it has been announced that schools will reopen on Jan 10, 2022, but the date may change again.
“I think that’s why for this week, the sales of our school supplies have not been up that much yet,” said Sharon Jong, 31, an assistant of a shop at the pedestrian mall.
She also showed The Borneo Post a display card at the shop, informing shoppers that the premises would accept Sarawak Foundation’s RM200 voucher that could be used to redeem school items such as uniforms, including shoes, as well as schoolbags and other stationery supplies worth the same value.
“Yes, we accept the Sarawak Foundation’s vouchers, given to needy students. There are also a number of other shops at India Street that also accept these vouchers,” said Jong.
The Borneo Post also approached a customer, Sian Aruku, 53, from Bintulu.
When met yesterday morning, she was accompanying her niece to buy some items to add on to the girl’s existing supplies.
“We have bought uniforms, shoes and new schoolbag.
“It’s better to prepare early, as my niece hates the last-minute rush,” said Sian, whose niece goes to a school in Kota Samarahan.
Another shopper Noraini Ramli also stated her preference to do early back-to-school shopping for her two school-going children, aged 14 and 11.
“For their uniforms, I got them in a larger size, so that they would last for a longer period.
“Mind you – school supplies are not that cheap nowadays, so getting the larger-sized uniforms goes a long way,” said the 33-year-old housewife.
Meanwhile, a Mara Junior Science College (MRSM) Kuching student Putra Adam Kamurudin was not ‘too enthusiastic’ about returning to school.
“Not really that excited to go back to school as I’m not ready yet. I haven’t even bought my school supplies yet – my parents prefer to buy them later.
“Regarding MRSM, we have not been notified when the college will reopen, so I have not done much preparation, but I will definitely buy my uniforms and other school supplies soon,” said the 16-year-old, adding that some of the school supplies could be bought at the college.
As unenthusiastic as he was over going back to school, Putra Adam said he would still prefer having ‘real, physical classes’ to undergoing online sessions.
“To be honest, it’s better to have physical, face-to-face classes,which give us better understanding about the subjects.
“We cannot really understand certain subjects or aspects of the lessons being taught online, neither can we gain better interactions that way.
“That’s why I prefer to go back to having physical classes and meeting my teachers face-to-face,” saidPutra Adam.
Together with the boy was his friend Haziq Hilman Sophian, whose had let his hair grow long throughout the Movement Control Order (MCO) period.
“I will only cut my hair a day before the school term commences,” he told The Borneo Post.
The 16-year-old admitted that he never really favoured long hair.
“The past two years of MCO were the only chance for me to keep my hair long – even my mom told me to keep it long.
“It’s quite annoying, though,” said Haziq, also a MRSM Kuching student.
Unlike Putra Adam, Haziq was excited to back to school again.
“It’s been so long since I last saw my friends and teachers face-to-face.
“I miss the classes, and I miss the boarding school’s environment,” he added.
On his preparations, Haziq said he would just need to get new uniforms, as his other school supplies were still in good condition.
On Dec 24, the Education Ministry announced that the reopening of schools nationwide had been deferred by a week to this Jan 9 for those in Group A states (Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu); and Jan 10 for those in Group B states (Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, Selangor, as well as the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and Labuan). — Borneo Post
