This morning Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar welcomed back a section of its secondary school students who were greeted by a welcoming party led by the Principal, Dr. Glenn Moodie.

“We have worked very hard to prepare for today and I’m pleased to personally welcome our students back onto campus for the first time since the MCO began. Our staff have worked tirelessly to ensure our standard operating procedures meet not only the Malaysian government’s guidelines, but also guidelines adopted by international schools globally. For example, KTJ also meets the guidelines set by the Boarding Schools’ Association, The Federation of British International Schools in Asia and the Council of International Schools. The health and safety of our staff is our primary objective and we are committed to it,” said Dr. Moodie.

Some of the initiatives taken by KTJ include preparing a tutorial video for parents and students, providing a list of frequently asked questions related to returning to KTJ, providing briefings, specialised training and emergency drills for academic and non-academic staff, equipping front line staff with enhanced PPE, providing specialised bins for PPE disposal, and installed signage throughout the campus to encourage the right behaviours.

Before KTJ reopened, an inspection was carried out by staff from the Ministry of Education and the local education office who reviewed the school’s preparations and procedures. “We appreciate and are thankful that they were able to visit us for a site review. I’m pleased to share that they left feeling confident in our ability to welcome students back to school,” commented Dr. Moodie.

The school sits on an 80-acre campus with large, open spaces and world-class facilities which helps with physical distancing measures. Normal class sizes are kept small, with no more than 22 students in a class, which has made it easier for KTJ to continue delivering an enriching learning experience for students.

A unique feature of the school is the Health Centre, which was launched more than 10 years ago and now has a full-time doctor on campus with four registered nurses. The Health Centre is led by Dr. Sonnia who has more than a decade of experience with the Ministry of Health and holds a postgraduate diploma in child health from the University of Sydney. She is a member of the Medical Officers for Schools Association (MOSA) UK and has extensive experience in pediatrics, general practice, safeguarding, vaccinations, occupational health and school health.

Returning to school after several months of online learning can result in a mix of emotions for students and KTJ places a high importance on the emotional wellbeing of our students. The school has a committed and pro-active pastoral team which also places a strong emphasis on safeguarding measures for students.

According to Mr. Suresh Naidu, Head of Secondary (Pastoral), “We recognise that it has been a very challenging time for many people, and teenagers in particular have found it stressful, being unable to move around freely and to engage in their normal behaviour. The effect of this is not just on the physical being but also psychologically and mentally. We expect our students to be anxious about safety precautions, about catching the virus, about interacting with their friends in a way different than they are used to, as well as about other pressures. With this in mind, we have launched initiatives to welcome students back to school and provide them with the support they need.”

The first day of school progressed smoothly and students left the site by 5pm. This wasn’t the end of the day for KTJ however, as the school’s housekeeping and grounds teams will now begin the cleaning and sanitising of common areas, teaching & learning facilities and more to prepare for another day of school tomorrow.

To learn more about Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar (KTJ), visit their website: www.ktj.edu.my.

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About Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar (KTJ)
Founded in 1991, Kolej Tuanku Ja’afar (KTJ) is a premier British International school which provides high-quality day and boarding education for children aged 3 – 19 years. Based on an impressive 80 acre site, KTJ has established a reputation as one of the best co-educational schools in the region. Students are empowered to develop their unique characters and talents through KTJ’s holistic approach to teaching and learning.