Abang's 1st Primary School excursion

 

Yesterday.....wasn't the first time that Abang went on excursion.
But It was his first since primary one started.
 

Abang was on medication for cough, but this puffy face boy still insisted on following his classmates to the Singapore Science Centre.

As usual, since he wanted to go, I will allow.

 

At 4pm, Abang called me while I was in a meeting. I took the call as I wanted to know if he got into any kind of trouble during the trip.

 

"Ummi, I was left in the bus when the rest of my classmates alighted down to The Science Centre because I was asleep. The bus driver discovered me and send me back again".. he said semi-excited.

 

My heart dropped. "What?! Why....?? Didn't anyone noticed you? Didn't your classmates wake you up? Didnt your teacher did a head count before letting the big bus go off? "

 

So many questions ran through my mind. As a mother, my mind quicky imagined the bus driver to be someone foreign and anything could have happend. My cute little sleepy boy was sleeping at the back of the bus!

Worse, the bus could have gone into Malaysia and my boy would be missing.

And WHAT was the teacher thinking???? Was'nt a head count on the kids done?

 

After a few hours, after I calmed down, I called Abang's teacher.

 

"Hi Mrs Lim, can you explain how my boy got left in the bus while everyone got down and the bus was allowed to leave while my boy was still sleeping in it?", I said coyly gritting my teeth, trying to appear calm.

 

Needless to say, the teacher apologise profusely and said that she had designated his partner to wake him up when the bus arrive but the little girl did not do so.

The last person to leave the bus was a parent volunteer (whom is very trusted) but the parent volunteer said she glanced and confirm that no student was still left on the bus.

 

Of course lah she saw no student was left on the bus. My poor boy was slouching sleeping at the second last row.

 

The teacher quickly called the driver and the driver who wasnt far off, turned back to send Abang, reuniting him with his classmates and teacher.

 

I accepted the teacher's explanation but told her that this is a lesson learnt, and I am glad nothing bad happened. I also reminded the teacher that it is very important for the last adult who leaves the bus must walk right to the end to ensure no student is left behind.

A head count must also be done before the bus is given clearance to leave

 

(...sigh....I feel as if I am a teacher here) .... but it was neccessary to remind the teacher of these points to avoid any occurance for any other students.

 

Abang later told me that he cried when he saw no one was on the bus. The driver was also shocked to see him and rush him back to The Science Centre. At that point, Abang's partner had already told the form teacher that she forgot to wake Abang up and the teacher was frantically trying to call the driver to turn back.

 

Alhamdullilah, glad that it did not turn out to be a horror story but a story which the teacher must remember in times to come whenever she goes for excursion trip. 

Thank you Allah, for the small but precious lesson.