Floods affect school sessions in 3 states
KUALA LUMPUR: The school session in several schools in Terengganu, Kelantan and Johor was postponed due to floods and the big wave phenomenon.
In Terengganu, 22 out of 501 primary and secondary schools delayed commencing their new session as the roads leading to the schools were flooded while some schools had been turned into evacuation centres.
Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abd Rahman said despite the floods, 22,515 Year One pupils turned out to register for school this year compared with 19,800 last year.
“There were 12,965 children registered at several government department- owned kindergartens,” he told reporters after visiting Sekolah Kebangsaan Seberang Takir here.
In Kelantan, floods forced 16 primary schools with 2,915 pupils to be closed on the first day of school. They comprised 1,248 students in the Tanah Merah district, 922 in Kuala Krai district and 745 in Jeli district.
State education department director Jaafar Ismail said the decision on whether to replace the postponed school days would depend on the condition of the floods.
A total of 12,344 students registered for Year One in Kelantan for the 2017 session.
In Johor, state education director Shaharudin Sharif said four schools in Mersing, namely Sekolah Kebangsaan ( SK) Pulau Aur, SK Pulau Pemanggil, SK Pulau Tinggi and SK Pulau Sibu involving 40 pupils could not start their new school term due to the big wave phenomenon.
“Rough seas since Friday forced 37 teachers to delay their journeys to the schools, but the schools are expected to commence their sessions on Tuesday, depending on the sea condition,” he said after observing the school session in Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Taman Scientex in Pasir Gudang.
The Marine Department had earlier issued a big wave warning and prohibited small crafts to send passengers to the islands since Friday causing the teachers to be stranded in Mersing.
Shaharudin said 612,000 primary and secondary school students started their session in 1,182 schools in Johor.
Meanwhile in Kedah, state education director Datuk Azuyah Hassan said 30,275 Year One pupils in 548 primary schols started their school term yesterday.
A total of 430,000 secondary and primary school students in 784 schools began their session yesterday.
Students in Kelantan, Terengganu, Johor and Kedah commenced their school session yesterday compared to other states on Tuesday. — Bernama