No one was harmed during the incident, which occurred at 2.45am on Wednesday as the school is closed for the holidays.

The school was badly damaged.

The new school will be located 2.5km inland and some of the cost will come from the Education Ministry’s Disaster Relief Fund, said State Women, Family and Community Development Minister Fatimah Abdullah.

Fatimah met the chief minister in the state assembly today to discuss details.

“The 2ha land has to be acquired. We have to get a letter from the chief minister, which will be directed to the Department of Land and Survey.

“Then the land must be surrendered to the Federal Commission Board.”

Fatimah said the construction was expected to begin within weeks and would use the Industrialised Building System (IBS), which utilises pre-fabricated components that would be fitted together on-site.

Total cost is expected to reach RM3 million.

Most of the pupils of SK Kampung Buda would be attending class in the neighbouring SK Spoah when school opens next Monday.

Eight elementary schoolchildren will use an undamaged computer room at SK Kampung Buda.

Meanwhile, Deputy Chief Minister Douglas Uggah Embas, who is Bukit Saban assemblyman, said he would look into the plight of other schools similarly made from wood.

“I hope this is a wake-up call for the government.

“In my area, there is another school, SK Sebemban, also situated by the river and facing erosion problems.

“We’ve raised this matter with the Education Ministry. We are still waiting for some positive response,” he told reporters in the state assembly today.

“We don’t have to wait for the school to fall into the river before taking action. We need to take precautions now.”