The Education Ministry is drafting a flood action plan for rural Sarawak schools to reduce disruptions caused by worsening floods statewide.
LIMBANG: The Education Ministry is drafting a blueprint to address the recurring flood problems in rural Sarawak that have disrupted schooling for thousands of students year after year.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the ministry had already compiled a list of affected schools across the state.
“The flood problems affecting students in Sarawak are being addressed through a ministerial action plan.
“These floods are occurring more frequently in rural Sarawak, affecting many primary and secondary schools in remote districts.
“One of the solutions being considered is the establishment of cluster schools in safer locations within rural constituencies frequently hit by floods.
“The relocation of students from flood-prone schools to these safer cluster schools would go a long way in reducing disruptions to learning sessions for rural pupils.
“However, many logistical challenges must first be addressed, along with comprehensive discussions with affected communities living in remote settlements that already face transportation and travel difficulties,” she said during a working visit to SMK Limbang in northern Sarawak.
Schools in northern and central Sarawak are among the worst affected by floods.
Last year alone, Sarawak experienced eight major flood incidents throughout the year.
The floods in November and December in northern and central Sarawak saw floodwaters reaching the rooftops of longhouses and schools.
Works Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi had acknowledged that flood conditions in the state have become more severe than ever.
Nanta, who is also secretary-general of the ruling Gabungan Parti Sarawak coalition and Member of Parliament for Kapit, was among the senior Sarawak leaders to publicly acknowledge the worsening flood situation faced by residents.
“I recently visited flood-hit schools in Kapit and heard from teachers and students that the recent floodwaters had reached the rooftops of their schools.
“Sekolah Kebangsaan Nanga Bena and SK Rantau Panjai were so badly damaged that they are no longer safe to use.
“Another round of flooding could see these schools swept away.
“These schools need to be rebuilt or relocated to safer grounds.
“The floods are becoming more devastating nowadays,” he said in a statement during the peak of the flooding crisis.
Progressive Democratic Party president Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing had also acknowledged the hardships faced by residents in flood-prone areas across Sarawak.
Tiong, who is also the Tourism Minister, Bintulu MP and Dudong assemblyman, previously expressed sympathy on social media for residents forced to endure repeated flood disasters.
He personally visited flood-hit areas in Sibu and Bintulu districts to witness the situation first-hand.
“I personally visited the flood zones.
“The situation was indeed very bad, as the floodwaters even reached my chest, and I am 170cm tall.
“Imagine those who have to live through such suffering every time heavy rain occurs.
“I also heard of people in rural areas being trapped in floodwaters for hours during storms.
“Are we going to continue letting them suffer?
“The Drainage and Irrigation Department must urgently study these flood-prone zones and solve the recurring flood problems,” he said in his social media posts.
Floods in Sarawak have become more frequent and severe due to extensive land clearing for logging and plantation activities.
The state is also experiencing more significant climate changes following decades of deforestation.
