PITAS: A group of 20 children from three villages here risk their lives crossing floodwaters to attend school during the monsoon season, an ordeal they have endured for several years.
The children, aged between 10 and 12, are pupils at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Mangkapon and come from Kampung Latip, Patani Baru, and Batu 10 Lout.
The problem arises whenever continuous rainfall causes the nearby Kulamba River to overflow, flooding access roads to their villages.
SK Mangkapon Parent-Teacher Association (PIBG) president Juniol Masingkin, 49, said flooding, sometimes as deep as waist-high, occurred two to three times a year during heavy rain spells.
"The most recent incident occurred last week when water levels rose to waist height after days of torrential rain in the district.
"Despite this, parents continue to send their children to school, wading through the floodwaters to ensure they don't miss lessons," he said.
The affected villages fall under the Bengkoka state constituency, represented by Datuk Harun Durabi, and the Kudat parliamentary constituency, led by Datuk Verdon Bahanda.
Juniol said that under normal weather conditions, pupils would commute by vehicle.
However, when the roads flood, parents must escort their children on foot for over four kilometres.
"When water levels exceed a certain height, children are unable to attend school due to safety concerns.
"There is no alternative route for villagers to enter or leave the area during these floods" he said.
While some students stayed in hostels near the school and return home only during holidays, Juniol said that the road leading to the villages was an agricultural path.
He said that although it was regularly maintained, the nearby river remained shallow and prone to overflowing due to a lack of dredging.
He urged the government to upgrade the road to a paved path for the benefit of residents, students, and SK Mangkapon staff.
"Some parts of the road, especially the steep areas near the school, become slippery and require gravel to reduce hazards," he added.