Building new close friends all through Covid-19

Because 2016, a staple on the calendar of Changkat Principal School utilized to be a cultural trade programme to Sekolah Kebangsaan Putrajaya Presint 11(1), a key school situated in Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur.

Organised by the Malay Language Device, the college students would satisfy their counterparts throughout the border to interact in cultural studying functions and make new close friends.

Then arrived COVID-19, putting a halt to what was a ceremony of passage for learners at the university.

The instructors had been identified not to let the pandemic disrupt this mastering experience and organised a digital meet up with-up.

Mdm Sharifah Aminah Bte Syed Omar, who was one of the Malay Language teachers involved, stated, “Even with the pandemic, we preferred to ensure that our students have a possibility of enduring an internationalisation programme at minimum as soon as in their primary faculty years.”

 

“Apa Khabar!”

So, one day previously in the calendar year, 20 Major 4 pupils met a group of 20 learners from Malaysia at the on line Discussion board Budaya (Cultural Discussion board).

More than the up coming two-and-a-50 %-several hours, learners shared snapshots of their lives by way of photos and movies and learnt much more about conventional game titles just about.

The distinct kinds of traditional Malay game titles had been showcased by the Malaysian students  – these kinds of as gasing, or top spinning, chaptehs or kicking shuttlecocks, and Batu Seremban, or 5-stones as it is extra normally recognized in Singapore. 

 

Learners from Singapore ‘cruised’ along Putrajaya Lake even though their Malaysian friends gazed at the vertical gardens at Gardens by the Bay.

The inquiries flew quick and furious: What was their college lifestyle like? How was their early morning assembly, what topics did they understand, what was their favourite food at the canteen?

The curiosity was palpable.

Changkat Primary pupils proudly confirmed off their school’s sustainability endeavours, which was component of their Utilized Mastering Programme. These integrated prototypes for moisture sensors to be positioned on the college roof to acquire rainwater and automated flushing techniques in the bathrooms.

Changkat Major pupils (leading) and their Malaysian friends (base) using notes and listening attentively to the sharing in their respective classrooms.

 

“The learners had been ecstatic to show their new good friends what their university everyday living is like. They worked extremely tricky to brainstorm on the subjects to share and to get ready the presentation slides,” claimed Nur Arina Binte Santoso, the school’s Malay Language Coordinator who was also portion of the organising staff. “We were very pleased to see that some of our pupils overcame their shyness and designed their confidence to interact with their new good friends.”

Nur Qisya Aliya Binte Zaharudin, who gave a discuss on the faculty lifestyle and things to do, reported, “I was quite happy to be chosen as just one of the presenters. It designed me far more self-assured to discuss to new persons and make pals.”

 

A silver lining

Then it was time for some pleasant competitions. Students from the two nations were set into combined groups for language and culture quizzes.

As the programme wound down, every single scholar was assigned a pen pal.

“We desired this partnership to be sustainable, somewhat than a 1-off party,” explained Mdm Farah Khairiah, the school’s Subject head of Nationwide Education and learning and Partnership. “If and when equally educational institutions can visit every single other in particular person, the learners would already have formed bonds with a single yet another.”

The very first batch of postcards from Changkat Key are by now on their way and they hope to generate notes to 1 a further just about every time period.

“Perhaps there was a silver lining in the disruption that the pandemic brought,” states Mdm Nur Iffah Bte Abdul Ghafar, Calendar year Head for Middle Principal. “We embraced technology to train and discover in the course of the pandemic, and now instructors and pupils are much more equipped to facilitate and organise virtual meetings.”

Thumbs-ups and hand hearts all about as students and instructors from equally educational facilities pose for a “photo” on Zoom.

 

Specified the achievements of this programme, the college is planning digital cultural exchanges by the Chinese Language Unit and University student Leadership staff.

Hady Iman Fahd, a Changkat Most important pupil who appreciated finding out about the regular Malay video games, claims “I do hope to be ready to enjoy individuals game titles with my mates from Malaysia if we meet physically.” 

Aufa Maritza Binte Mohammad Nuruddin, added, “It was an eye-opening working experience ‘visiting’ a different country. I have new mates, and I hope we can pay a visit to the quite spots in Putrajaya in foreseeable future!”

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Go through about Kranji Secondary School’s digital exchange programme with a associate college in Japan listed here.

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