Orang Asli students endure rocky journey to school

GUA MUSANG, June 24 -- About 50 Form Five and Six students of the Orang Asli community in the district, were brought to their school hostels yesterday by the Department of Orang Asli Development (JAKOA)  to attend school starting today.

According to Nenggiri assemblyman Ab Aziz Yusof, the students who live in Pos Bihi, Gob, Simpor and Belatim, were brought out yesterday by four-wheel drives by Kelantan JAKOA to eight schools in the town.

“They departed yesterday at 9 am and arrived at 4 pm at their respective schools because of the bad condition of the logging tracks due to rain.

“They are staying in the hostels and began their classes today like other students,” he said when contacted by reporters here, today.

He said he was made to understand that a number of Orang Asli students who could not return to school today, would do so on Sunday by the same transport.

Meanwhile, Ago Along, 53, from Pos Simpor said his daughter, Anis, 17, a student of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Tengku Indera Petra 1 here, was excited to be able to return to school today.

“Although she faces challenges to get her school, she is still in full spirit to study again after being stuck for three months in the village due to the implementation of Movement Control Order (MCO).

“Facing hardship to go to school is nothing new to us, Orang Asli community, due to lack of facilities compared to other communities, however, I hope Anis will study hard and obtain excellent result in her studies,” he said.

-- BERNAMA