More than 300 schools affected by flood nationwide

SEGAMAT, Jan 9 -- More than 300 schools in the country have been identified as affected by floods with some of them having opened for the third term schooling session in group A.

Deputy Education  Minister II , Datuk Mohamad Alamin said the schools which have yet to open are still inundated or are serving temporary relief centres (PPS) or are in the processing of cleaning up.

He said schools which did not open according to the original schedule are expected to start their schooling term next week.

"Some schools in group A which are not ready are in Sabah, Pahang and Selangor.

"Information on the status of schools would be updated by the district education office from time to time,” he told reporters after inspecting cleaning work at Sekolah Kebangsaan Pulau Paya which was affected by floods here today.

Therefore he hoped all parties would assist in cleaning up schools so ensure the schooling session proceeded according to plan.

Mohamad said 46 schools in Johor were converted as PPS, comprising 15 in Segamat, Tangkak (13), Muar (seven), Mersing (four), with Kota Tinggi and Batu Pahat (three each) as well as Kluang (one) following floods since Jan1.

As of this morning, 27 schools in Johor are still not operating because they have been turned into PPS and are still flooded while 19 schools started the three-day school session today.

He also explained that the ministry would not burden students who could not participate in the school session this time and give them space to face the post-flood process before re-entering school when everything is done.

He said more than 14,000 students affected by the floods were allowed to wear normal clothes to school and the Education Ministry also guaranteed sufficient supply of textbooks to replace more than 260,000 textbooks damaged by the floods.

-- BERNAMA