TATAU: The state government’s decision to issue an immediate approval to move five flood prone schools in Tatau district to safer grounds recently has met with sighs of relief from the teachers and parents in these affected schools. The five schools are Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Nanga Penyarai, SK Rumah Keseng, SK Rumah Tayai, SK Nanga Tau and SK Kuala Muput, which are in the Selangau parliamentary constituency.
Tatau District Education Officer, Mohadi Mobin said of the five affected schools, SK Nanga Tau and SK Kuala Muput were completely damaged in the big flood that occurred last February.
“In February, the Tatau District Education Officer presented to the Chief Minister (Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg) a proposal to move the five schools concerned to a safer location, which received due attention and he (Abang Johari) approved it, “ he told Bernama.
The floods caused SK Kuala Muput to incur losses of about RM1.3 million while SK Nanga Tau about RM650,000, in terms of school properties and structure. Elaborating further, Mohadi said the decision made by Johari, who is also the State BN Chairman, was well received by the local residents to ensure that their children’s education was not disrupted while the teachers could now teach in a more comfortable and safer site.
He said the transferring of the affected schools was made after the residents themselves, including village chiefs had proposed suitable locations, that were on higher grounds and near to the roads.
Meanwhile , SK Kuala Muput Parent-Teacher Association President, Janang Kijun said he and other parents hoped that the process could be undertaken as soon as possible. “We, as parents, hope that moving the schools to a better location will ensure that our children’s learning process will no longer be disrupted due to the floods,” he added.
