NIBONG TEBAL – The Education Ministry has allocated RM50 million to repair and restore schools affected and damaged by floods.
Its minister Fadhlina Sidek said the ministry was waiting for complete reports from the state and district education departments regarding the damage sustained by schools.
“The ministry does have an allocation for maintenance of schools affected by floods, especially in Terengganu and Kelantan. So far, 287 schools have been hit by floods throughout the country but I’m still waiting for the exact total,” the Nibong Tebal MP told reporters after meeting Nibong Tebal residents at the parliamentary constituency service centre here today.
She also said that the ministry would discuss with the National Disaster Management Agency (Nadma) to find alternatives for schools used as flood relief centres, and whether there is a need to delay the school session for flood-hit areas.
She added that the school session for states or areas unaffected by floods would continue as scheduled on January 2 for Kedah, Johor, Kelantan, and Terengganu, and January 3 for other states.
“The welfare and safety of teachers, students, and other school staff is the ministry’s priority, and unaffected states will stick to the original schedule. We will discuss with Nadma about possibly delaying the school session and alternative plans for schools acting as relief centres in affected states that do not show a drop in evacuees by January 3.
“Currently, 241 schools are being used as relief centres throughout the country, and we at the ministry have a special operations room to monitor and check on flood issues daily,” she added. – Bernama, December 24, 2022
