Education minister Fadhlina Sidek said this is based on preliminary reports, adding that the respective state education departments and district education offices are still assessing the damage sustained by the schools, Bernama reported.

“According to preliminary reports, the estimated damage exceeds RM1 million, involving damage to furniture, fences, and physical structures in all affected states, as well as immovable assets in Kelantan, Terengganu, and Pahang,” she was quoted as saying.

Fadhlina said every school that had been inundated with floodwaters or converted into temporary relief centres to house flood victims would get RM2,000 in aid from the Tun Hussein Onn Teachers Foundation, while volunteers from the ministry would help with cleaning up the premises.

A total of 133 primary schools, 23 secondary schools and a Permata childcare centre were affected by the floods during the northeast monsoon season.

According to Bernama, some 207 educational institutions were converted into relief centres. They comprise 173 primary schools, 33 secondary schools and one vocational college.

Fadhlina said as of 4pm yesterday, nine primary schools and one secondary school were still affected by floods, while two primary schools are still being used as relief centres.

Nonetheless, she said all educational institutions under her ministry which were affected by the floods have resumed operations today.

“The relevant state education departments and district education offices have taken appropriate measures to ensure the schools can operate normally, such as relocating stock or surplus furniture and textbooks from schools within the same district to those in need.”

The minister also said that under the current circumstances, students affected by the floods were allowed to attend school in normal clothes and not in a school uniform.