ALOR STAR: Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) candidates affected by the severe floods in Kedah have lauded the Education Ministry's move to house them in school hostels until the situation improves.
Amirah Nur Taqwa Hembalee from SMK Tunku Abdul Malik here said she could focus on her preparations with the help of her schoolmates at the hostel.
"My family was forced to leave our home in Anak Bukit after it was inundated by floodwaters.
"My mother and two siblings had to stay at a temporary flood relief centre (PPS) in Pendang because all the PPS in Kota Setar are full.
"It will be a hassle for me to travel from Pendang to here (Alor Star) to sit the examinations until the floods fully recede.
"Hence, I am grateful that the ministry allowed me to stay at the hostel for now because I can focus on my studies," she said.
Another SPM candidate from Jalan Alor Merah, Nurul Farzana Ismail, said the ministry's mitigation plans had helped her to focus more compared with staying in the PPS.
"I am a bit reluctant to leave my parents at the PPS, but my father told me that it is better for me to stay at the hostel so that I get to focus on my studies.
"Since SPM is important for my future, I agreed to stay in the hostel," said the youngest child of five.
She also thanked the ministry for providing them with meals at the hostel.
"Of course, as compared with the PPS, the situation at this hostel is more conducive for studying. It helps me to focus," she said.
For Nur A'watif Solehah Mohammad Amir, staying at the hostel helps her to focus on her studies.
"Most importantly, we can save the hassle and time travelling to school daily to study and sitting the examinations, especially when many roads are closed due to flooding," she said.
Earlier today, Education Ministry secretary-general Datuk Ruji Ubi said the first day of the SPM Bahasa Melayu oral test proceeded smoothly for more than 500 flood-affected candidates in Kedah.
He said 188 of the affected students had been relocated to several boarding schools, and they are allowed to stay at the hostels until the conclusion of the SPM written examinations in early February.