PUTRAJAYA, Jan 2 — Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek today said that the estimated damage to educational institutions in three states due to the flood disaster from November 11, 2023 to January 1 exceeds RM1 million.
She said that her ministry has mobilised assistance for educational institutions, students, and teachers affected by the flood.
“Based on the initial report we received, the estimated damage caused by the north-east moonsoon flood exceeds RM1 million which involves damage to furniture, fences, physical buildings and assets that cannot be transferred in Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang,” she told a press conference at the Ministry of Education here today.
“Estimates of the damage to educational institutions are being collected and the state Education Departments and the District Education Offices have taken appropriate measures to ensure schools can operate,” she said.
Among the measures being taken for classes to run despite the floods is to transfer excess stock of textbooks and furniture from schools in the same district to schools in need.
Fadhlina said her ministry also made takaful claims (Islamic insurance) for students who have been reported to have drowned during the monsoonal floods in Kelantan.
“The takaful claim of RM5,500 per person will be handed over to the victim’s family.
“Schools affected by floods and schools that have been converted into temporary transfer centres will be given assistance of RM2,000 by Yayasan Guru Tun Hussein Onn,” she said.
Fadhlina also said a total of 157 schools were affected by floods in eight states including Kelantan, Terengganu, Pahang, Selangor, Sabah, Sarawak, Johor and Perak.
The total involved 133 primary schools, 23 secondary schools and one PERMATA centre.
Fadhlina added that it is expected that the flood threat will affect 197 STPM candidates in Pahang, Kelantan and Johor who are sitting for the exam in January and February.
She said this was based on the report received from the Assessment and Examination Sector, the District Education Offices throughout the country as of yesterday.
“For STPM candidates and examination centres affected by the floods, the Malaysian Examinations Council and the Assessment and Examination Sector, the State Education Departments will use the same guidelines issued by the examination board on preparations and actions to face the threat of flooding in areas with STPM and MUET examination centres.
When asked about preparation for the public examination, Fadhlina said a total of 4,058 candidates for the Higher Religious Certificate will sit for the examination that begins today.
“As of 2pm yesterday, no candidate was in PPS due to the flood,” she said.
PPS is the Malay abbreviation for the temporary shelter housing flood evacuees.
For the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia 2023 (SPM) exam which will start on January 8, Fadhlina said a total of 395,870 candidates will sit for the national exam.
She said only one SPM candidate in Johor is still living in a PPS.
“Until yesterday, no candidate for the Sijil Tinggi Persekolahan Malaysia 2023 was in PPS and the STPM exam will be administered by the Malaysian Examinations Council starting January 9,” she said.
In a related development, Fadhlina said that students affected by the flood were allowed to attend school in casual clothes.
She said the Education Ministry has reminded all schools to brace for flood disasters since last October and is working with the national North-East Monsoon Disaster Task Force Committee to deal with the after-effects.
When asked about school operations should the surge in Covid-19 cases continue after the holidays end, she said all educational institutions have been reminded to continue to comply with the standard operating procedures issued by the National Security Council.
She said all schools must also practise preventive measures, as issued by the Health Ministry, to curb the spread of Covid-19 and other respiratory infections.