Minister: Over 7,000 students affected by floods

Some 7,164 pupils from 34 schools in Pahang, Terengganu and Johor have been affected by the floods so far, said Education Minister Mahdzir Khalid.

He said the schools were all primary schools, and Pahang recorded the highest number with 27 schools closed due to the disaster which involved 5,337 pupils, followed by five schools in Terengganu (1,763 pupils) and two schools in Johor (64 pupils).

"These schools had to be closed... pupils cannot go to school because the floodwaters are still high today,” he told reporters after visiting the Kuala Nerang Hospital Haemodialysis Unit in Padang Terap, Kedah today.

Mahdzir, who is also Padang Terap MP, said his ministry had also asked the state education departments to provide a complete report on the damage to school equipment including chairs, tables and textbooks.

"Flood is an emergency situation, so once we have received a complete report, we can speed up the repair and replacement of damaged items by sending the contractor thus not disrupting pupils’ learning,” he said.

In addition, Mahdzir said reports of damage to textbooks following the textbook storage room being flooded can be made as soon as possible without waiting for the water to recede as the ministry can take immediate action to replace new book to make it easy for students to attend classes once the schools reopen.

He said all state education departments and schools nationwide already know the standard operating procedures to follow in the event of flooding.

- Bernama