Flooding and a landslide have forced 35 schools in Sarawak and Sabah to delay the new term, affecting hundreds of students as authorities implement home-based learning
KUCHING: Flooding has forced 28 schools in Sarawak to delay the start of the new school term. The number rose from 26 after monitoring by the Dalat District Education Office.
State Education director Omar Mahli said the floods affected two schools in Dalat, three in Daro, four in Selangau, and 19 in Tatau/Sebauh. He stated that home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) is the best alternative for the affected schools.
The first week of term focuses on orientation and light learning activities. The 2026 school term sees over five million primary and secondary students nationwide starting classes.
In Sabah, seven primary schools were also forced to close on the first day due to flooding and landslides. State Education director Datuk Raisin Saidin said six schools in Beaufort remain flooded, while one in Tenom faces safety risks after a landslide.
He said the schools can conduct PdPR during the closure or hold Saturday replacement classes once they reopen. “The schools will only reopen once conditions are fully restored and it is safe for students and teachers to return,” he said in a statement.
The six affected schools in Beaufort are SK Bangkalalak, SK Garama, SK Jabang, SK Kebulu, SK Lago, and SK Suasa, involving 364 students. SK Simpang in Tenom has 60 students affected.
Meanwhile, 43,385 Year One and 44,851 Form One students in Sabah started the 2026 school term today. This figure is part of 276,144 primary and 214,170 secondary students enrolled in the state.
In total, 490,314 students in Sabah began the new term today, in addition to 410 secondary students in Remove classes.
