Flood evacuees worries over school preparations for their children

PASIR MAS - In just four days, the new school term will kick off, but parents affected by the recent floods and currently taking refuge in temporary relief centres (PPS) find themselves unprepared for their children's return to school.

Mohd Shamsul Wahid, 38, shared that his home in Kampung Serongga has been submerged in floodwaters exceeding two metres since last Monday.

"This is the third flood incident for me since last November, resulting in the damage of all our belongings.

"I haven't made any purchases yet for my children’s 2024 school session. If there were some old school clothes or equipment that the kids could reuse, I think it all had been damaged by the flood,” he told Bernama yesterday.

Mohd Shamsul said that he has two daughters embarking on their first year at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Sri Kiambang and Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Sri Kiambang, respectively.

Adding to his concerns, Mohd Shamsul said he has also lost his sources of income as a construction worker during this prolonged monsoon season.

"I hope that when the school session opens next week, the relevant authorities can provide some flexibility regarding school uniforms,” he said.

According to the Ministry of Education calendar, the third academic session for 2023/2024 will commence on January 2 next year.

Meanwhile, retired army personnel Rezak Hamat, 63, from Kampung Seberang Merbau, expressed concern about the revision process for his son, Mohd Razim, 17, a student at SMK Sri Kiambang who is currently sitting for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2023 examinations.

"The flood has damaged his reference books, and now my son solely relies on a smartphone for revision. He has decided to stay at a cousin's house to make it easier for him to study,” said Rezak.

The Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) 2023 examinations began on Dec 5 and will continue until March 7, 2024. - BERNAMA