24 schools closed on first day

HULU TERENGGANU: Floods in many parts of the state forced 24 schools to be closed on the first day of classes.

State Education Department director Shafruddin Ali Hussin said yesterday that of the 24 schools with 4,196 students and 544 teachers, 12 were located in Hulu Terengganu, 10 in Setiu and one each in Besut and Kemaman.

“On Monday, we decided that only three schools will remain closed on Tuesday, but due to the rain later on Monday night, which caused many areas to flood, we had to order the 24 schools to be closed.

“This is for their safety as we saw that the weather and floods had worsened.”

However, the gloomy weather, the downpour and floods did not dampen the spirits of some 242 students of SK Tengkawang here.

They were all looking cheerful and excited on the first day of school, especially those in Year One.

Many of them were smartly dressed in their new school uniform and with their bags despite some being in slippers.

Muhd Thaqif Wafiq Mohd Ridzuan, eight, from Kampung Kepah here, said that he decided to wear slippers to school because the compound of his house was still flooded.

“I am afraid my new school shoes will get wet as there is still water surrounding my house.

“Furthermore, my feet have been itchy due to the floods and I am not able to wear my school shoes so my mother advised me to wear slippers,” he said.

Another classmate, Firdaus Mohamad Saiful Nizam, eight, was also unable to wear his school shoes because his house was also flooded.

However, he was happy to be in school after the long break.

“I got up at 5am today because I was excited to go to school,” he said.

Headmaster Suhaimi Wahab was glad that the school almost recorded full attendance, with only two absentees, but was worried that the school may be ordered to close due to the heavy rain.

“Some parents may not be able to send their kids if the road to the school is affected,” he said.

Rohayu Mat Ideris, 30, from Kampung Jeneris fetched her children from school at about 9.30am.

“It’s been raining heavily and I am afraid the roads heading to the school might be inaccessible,” she added.