KOTA BARU: While most of their peers were busy flipping through the final pages of their notes in preparation for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination, several candidates in this district were forced to monitor something far more critical - the direction of rising floodwaters sweeping through their yards.
On Saturday (Nov 22), rather than choosing the right SPM forecast topics, it became a matter of choosing the safest moment to escape, as floodwaters surged to 0.6m within minutes.
At the Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Tapang relief centre, several SPM candidates were seen sitting cross-legged near electrical outlets - not because the spot was comfortable, but because it was the only place they could continue their last-minute revision.
For 17-year-old Nik Mohd Idham Nik Abdul Rahim of Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Panji, the flood not only robbed him of his books but also of the exam routine he had carefully planned.
"I left the house with only the clothes on my back. The water just kept rising...all my notes were gone. The only thing on my mind then was just to leave. I didn't have time to think about anything else," he told reporters at the centres here.
Now, his smartphone is his only revision tool - the one item he managed to grab as he fled his darkened home without even turning off the switch.
"I'm nervous. The exam is tomorrow. I'm trying to find a quiet corner to revise, but my mind is everywhere because the road to school is still underwater," he said.
Another candidate, Mohd Faris Aiman Mohd Azri, 17, from SMK Tanjong Mas, said his preparation now relies entirely on notes sent by teachers through WhatsApp.
"I didn't even have time to save my books. The water rose too fast. Revising on my phone feels different, but it helps reduce the anxiety," he said.
At the centres, it is not only the chatter of small children or the voices of staff that fill the air, but also an unspoken tension - the pressure of looming exam papers weighing heavily on students facing circumstances far beyond their control.
At the relief centres at Sekolah Kebangsaan Islah, SPM candidate Wan Muhammad Radhi Wandee, 17, of SMK Kota Baru, said that although he and his family were displaced by the floods, he remains determined to continue studying.
He admitted that the environment was uncomfortable and often noisy, but insisted this was no excuse to abandon his preparations.
"My family and I had to move here after our house was flooded last Saturday. Even with this test, I won't give up. I want to be ready for the first paper, Bahasa Melayu, tomorrow.
"I hope that with the revision I've managed to do, I can achieve good results. My mother, Siti Rahmah Abdul Manaf, 38, always encourages me to stay focused and continue preparing," he said.
On Sunday, it was reported that the Education Ministry is giving full attention to flood preparedness amid unpredictable weather over the next two to three days, especially to ensure the smooth running of the SPM examination.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the priority is to ensure that SPM candidates can sit for their exams without disruption, while safeguarding the safety of students in flood-prone areas. - Bernama
