Unlike other schools, SK Taman Sri Muda remains closed in the wake of the massive floods that hit the area three weeks ago.

Clean water was in short supply, while there was hardly any furniture in most classrooms.

Headmistress Siti Halijah Sarani said the school had to apply to postpone the start of the school session as the electricity and water supplies were still disrupted.

“The damaged furniture is still being replaced. We are seeking help from schools which has excess furniture,” she told FMT.

“So far, we have received 20 teachers’ desks donated by SMK Sultan Salahuddin Abdul Aziz Shah, Section 2.

“We also received 80 student desks from SK Kuala Kubu Baru. We are still waiting for help from other places so that we can start classes again.”

The floods submerged four classrooms, three pre-school rooms and two Special Education Integration Programme (PPKI) rooms, as well as the Islamic education room, science lab, computer lab, bookshop, co-curricular room, sports store and canteen.

Halijah said the school may have to start the term without clean water supply as the water pump was damaged by floodwaters.

“What I want most is a water pump. When the floods came, the water pump that supplied clean water to Block C caught fire. The pump supplies water to the whole of Block C. So, if we start a school session, there may be no water supply.

“Students would have to use the one toilet in Block B. This makes it difficult for students. So we really need that water pump,” she said.

Earlier, education minister Radzi Jidin had said a few schools had not reopened due to the floods.

He said four million primary and secondary school students nationwide had started the school session for the third term of 2021/2022 yesterday and today.

Halijah, who will retire this April, said a representative from the ministry had contacted her and visited the school to check on its condition.

“The ministry is always monitoring, asking about the damage and destruction. Maybe they are just waiting for their budget allocation to arrive.

“Many NGOs have come to send school bags for the students. We are ready to accommodate and will distribute the aid when the school opens.”

Halijah said she was worried that student attendance would decline because 80% came to school using the school’s van service.

“School vans were damaged because they were all submerged by the floods and cannot be repaired quickly.

“If the operators want to rush things, they have to fix the vans themselves, which does not guarantee the safety of the students,” he said.