November 10, 2009 16:49 PM

Special Instructions To Flood-Prone Schools Running SPM, STPM Exams

PUTRAJAYA, Nov 10 (Bernama) -- The Education Ministry has issued specific instructions to schools in flood-prone areas to ensure uninterrupted running of the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) and Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia (STPM) examinations scheduled to begin next Wednesday.

Director-General of Education Tan Sri Alimuddin Mohd Dom said today these schools, especially in flood-hit Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah, had been asked to identify alternative examination centres.

"Schools in areas frequently affected by floods have to conduct the examination on the first floor," he told a news conference here.

Alimuddin said examination candidates facing the eventuality of floods in their villages or housing estates should be accommodated in school hostels unaffected by floods.

He also said that principals should give priority to the safety of students in all decisions made after the floods set in.

Alimuddin said principals and headmasters were empowered to close schools if the floods posed a danger to the safety of schoolchildren.

"It is not necessary for the schools to replace the number of days they are closed due to floods, even if it is for a week," he said.

Alimuddin said that so far 103 schools had been designated as flood relief centres, with 90 of these in Terengganu, 10 in Kedah and three in Kelantan.

"These schools have to extend full cooperation to the district flood disaster relief committees by ensuring that electricity and water supply were available and washrooms were in good working order," he said.

The schools were also allowed to engage daily-paid part-time workers to clean the school compounds so that the flood evacuees were comfortable during their stay there, he added.

-- BERNAMA

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