BALING: More than 1,000 primary and secondary students in Kupang here will return to their classrooms tomorrow, 13 days after floods disrupted their schooling.
Baling member of parliament Datuk Seri Abdul Azeez Rahim said a Baling Education office survey revealed that 1,059 students were affected by the floods.
They are from 27 schools, 17 of which are primary schools.
"These students lost their uniforms, bags, shoes and textbooks in the floods," Azeez said after distributing school gear to students at SMK Jerai here today.
He said UDA Holdings Bhd contributed 500 sets of school gear and the Baling parliamentary service centre gave 1,000 sets.
"Altogether we prepared 1,500 sets of school uniform and gear just in case there are students who were missed by the district Education office survey."
Azeez said students who could not pick up the uniforms today should still go to school tomorrow.
"We are urging parents to take them to school and they can get the gear at their respective schools," he said.
Azeez thanked a non-governmental organisation, Kejar Akhirat Bersama, from Gombak, Selangor, for contributing 700 sets of stationery and tumblers to the students.
He also said all 17 families made homeless by the floods have moved to rental homes within a 7km radius of the flood-affected area.
"The Baling parliamentary service centre has supplied basic furniture and electrical items to the families.
"We thank the state government for paying the monthly rentals and utility bills for six months pending the construction of new homes for them by the Rural Development Ministry."
Azeez said repairs to 400 flood-damaged houses had already begun at a cost of up to RM15,000 for each home.
"Until today, Giat Mara has fixed over 100 homes and 200 motorcycles, and there are 2,000 more motorcycles that need repairs.
"We are working to get help to repair over 200 cars," he said.