ALOR SETAR: All flood-hit schools must be thoroughly cleaned to ensure they are safe and conducive before students return to resume the school session, said Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek.

She said safety is a top priority to ensure the learning sessions proceed smoothly.

“We want the schools to be cleaned as soon as possible and safety to be prioritised because students must return to school quickly... So, we are doing our best to restore physical classes, but we must ensure they are clean and safe,“ she told reporters at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Seri Gunong after visiting schools affected by floods here today.

Asked about the estimated losses, she said the ministry is still gathering information from the relevant schools.

“We already have an estimate (of the losses), but some schools may have been affected more severely than others, so we need the exact figures from the State Education Departments to address the issue promptly.

“We have disaster funds that schools can apply for immediately if there is damage that could incapacitate the school institution,“ she added.

According to Fadhlina, 19 schools in Kedah are affected by flooding, however most of these schools have resumed operations, with only a handful still implementing the home-based teaching and learning system.