Third wave of floods affects 28 schools in Terengganu

KUALA TERENGGANU: A total of 28 schools in four districts in Terengganu have been affected by the third wave of floods that hit this state since last Saturday.

State Education Department deputy director (School Management Sector) Azman Othman @ Abdullah said the clean-up operation would be conducted from Thursday (Dec 28) until Jan 1 before the school session begins on Jan 2.

"The clean-up operation will be managed by the District Education Office, school administration and the local community,” he told Bernama when contacted on Thursday.

He said 13 of the flood-affected schools were in Hulu Terengganu, including Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Lubuk Periok, SK Kua, Sekolah Menengah (SM) Imtiaz Kuala Berang, SK Sungai Berua and SK Betong.

"Others are SK Tapah, SK Tengku Ampuan Intan, Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Menerong, SK Padang Setar, Sekolah Menengah Agama (SMA) Mahmudiah, SK Tengkawang, SMK Tengku Ampuan Intan and SK Bukit Gemuroh,” he said.

According to Azman, seven schools in Setiu were also hit by the floods, namely SK Pak Ba, SK Kampung Besut, SK Sungai Las, SK Merbau Menyusut, SK Langkap, SK Kampung Buloh and SK Kampung Bukit Ulu Nerus.

In Kemaman, the four schools affected were SK Padang Kubu, SK Pasir Gajah, SMK Ayer Puteh and SK RKT Seberang Tayor, while in Dungun, it involved SK Pasir Raja, SK Kampung Shukor, SK Minda Talong and SK Kuala Jengal.

In a related development, he said 47 schools in the state have been designated as temporary relief centres, comprising 12 in Setiu, 11 in Dungun, 10 in Hulu Terengganu, eight in Besut, two each in Kuala Terengganu and Kemaman, and one each in Kuala Nerus and Marang.

Out of this total, 32 schools are still operating as relief centres, he added.

"If the schools still serve as relief centres after the school session resumes on Jan 2, it will depend on the current situation. If it is not conducive or safe for learning, then the schools can apply for disaster leave,” he said. – Bernama