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Ministry to ensure new school sites safe from floods

ARAU: The Education Ministry aims to ensure that all newly planned school buildings will be constructed on sites safe from floods and other natural disasters.

Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said safety was a priority, as disasters such as floods disrupt school operations and hinder schoolchildren's academic progress.

She emphasised that this was particularly vital given the worsening impact of climate change on natural disasters.

"The impact of natural disasters and climate change directly disrupts education. Such situations affect not only students but also teachers.

"Ensuring the wellbeing of schools is not just about infrastructure development but also about providing a safe environment for both teachers and students.

"For new schools, the selected sites must be in safe and elevated areas," she told reporters after a working visit to SMKA Arau today.

Fadhlina also said that the ministry would take immediate steps to address maintenance issues caused by floods.

"Maintenance and assistance must be expedited, especially for schools affected by floods. Schools must be safe and, if they serve as temporary flood relief centres during floods, the locations must be carefully chosen to minimise risk," she said.

The recent floods affected six states—Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu, Selangor, Perlis and Johor—displacing hundreds of thousands of people. Many of them were housed in temporary relief centres, some of which were in school buildings in nearby areas.

Meanwhile, Fadhlina said the ministry was considering the establishment of more Tahfiz Model Ulul Abab (TMUA) schools to nurture a new generation of religious scholars and educated leaders.

She said there were currently 15 TMUA schools nationwide and demand for such institutions had surged, especially as the TMUA initiative marks its 10th anniversary.

"We have received significant requests to establish more of these schools. However, there are specific criteria that must be met, including qualified teachers and suitable facilities. As such, we are continuously evaluating the demand and will carefully consider before adding more schools," she said.

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