GUA MUSANG: Orang Asli parents from the Temiar tribe in Pos Simpor, near here, have been reluctant to send their children to school for the past two weeks following reports of hysteria at SK Tohoi.
One of the residents, Jaafar Along, 58, said he decided to stop his 11-year-old daughter from attending school as he is worried for her safety.
He said other students are also reluctant to go to school, so their parents are not forcing them to attend class since early this month.
“Although the hysteria occurred among students from Kampung Penad, my daughter is scared to go to the same school, as she has heard of the six cases of students experiencing hysteria,” Jaafar told reporters yesterday.
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Pos Simpor community development department (Kemas) kindergarten teacher Shera Chele, 32, expressed sadness that the SK Tohoi students are just spending time at home.
“I am concerned about the future of these children in Pos Simpor. There are some children who come by to ask me to teach them but I can only do what I can,” she said.
Orang Asli village safety and development committee chairman Dendi Johar is worried about the impact of the children’s absence from school on their learning process.
“We are aware of the importance of education for our children. However, the situation is making it difficult for us to coax them to return to school after they witnessed six students from Kampung Penad experiencing hysteria.
“We have suggested that the state and district education departments hold discussions with the village heads and residents on the matter,” he said.
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