BY: AKMAL AZIZ

A number of Malaysian school students are beginning to complain that going to school is nothing but a sheer torture and cite a number of issues that plague them which are shared by their parents and want the authorities to ease their plight.

Before these complaints surfaced, in a pre emptive move, the ministry of education announced that the wearing of school uniforms is optional owing to the scorching weather and outdoor activities will only proceed if the weather permits.

While climate change is a factor in ‘torturing’ students, the lugging of heavy school bags is another issue as in the case of primary students their bags are bigger than their tiny bodies and besides being hard to balance, it’s a heavy load.

When it comes to recess, many students complain the food and drinks in the canteen are crap and also expensive although they conform to the guidelines issued by the ministry of education for all school canteens.

When it comes to actual studying, teachers go missing or do a semblance of work while loading students with too much homework causing them to stay up late to finish their work only to find that teachers hardly take a look at this homework.

While there are other grievances and a growing number of complaints not only by students but by dissatisfied parents, it is considered to be merely the tip of the iceberg of the man ills plaguing the schooling system.

-THE MALAYSIA VOICE

** The views expressed on this opinion is of the writer and not the publisher