ALOR STAR: The Education Ministry's mitigation plans for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia examinations have taken into account possible second and third waves of floods during the monsoon period.
The ministry's secretary-general, Datuk Ruji Ubi, said the mitigation plans, which involved all government agencies, was crafted based on a simulation of possible multiple flood waves.
"I have experience managing the 2022 massive floods in Selangor when I was with the Implementation Coordination Unit under the Prime Minister's Department.
"However, we do understand that the floods in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah are different because there are chances that there will be first, second and third waves.
"Therefore, we have derived Plan A, B and C to face any eventualities," he said in a press conference after monitoring the first day of the SPM oral test at SMK Tunku Abdul Malik, one of four schools in Kota Setar ravaged by the floods.
Present was state Education Department director Ismail Othman.
Ruji said SMK Agama Kedah's maximum capacity was 800 students, but up to today, only 200 SPM candidates had been relocated to the school's hostel.
"We have ample accommodation to relocate candidates affected by the floods until the end of written SPM examinations by early February," he said.
He said discussions for the mitigation plans started in October, involving multiple government departments and agencies.
"The matter was discussed in depth with all agencies, such as the Civil Defence Force, National Disaster Management Agency, Fire and Rescue Department and the Welfare Department, as early as October in a workshop held in Kuantan, Pahang.
"Therefore, the ministry decided that the SPM examinations would proceed with the oral test as scheduled, based on the preparations that we have made.
"The mitigation plans have worked well as we have successfully relocated SPM candidates in Kelantan, Terengganu and Kedah from affected areas before the oral test began today," he said.
Ruji added that the ministry was being flexible in executing the mitigation plans depending on the level of flooding at the state level.
"For example, there are two students who went to school in other states but went back to their hometown before the flooding started, and we allowed them to sit the SPM examinations in Kelantan.
"We also allow candidates in flood-ravaged areas to come in casual clothing instead of school uniforms to sit the examinations."
Ruji was responding to calls for the ministry to reschedule the SPM examinations, which began today (Dec 2) with the Bahasa Melayu oral test.
Yesterday (Dec 1), Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said more than 5,000 SPM candidates affected by floods were being evacuated in Kelantan, Kedah and Terengganu.