Deputy education minister Wong Kah Woh said the guidelines would be presented to the Cabinet soon.

He said the ministry took into account several factors in determining the concept, including vertical movement safety, accessibility for students with special needs, as well as students’ emotional and social well-being.

“We also looked into technical aspects such as acoustics, soundproofing, lighting and natural ventilation, emergency routes, building structure, maintenance and strata management,” he told the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was replying to Muslimin Yahaya’s (PN-Sungai Besar) question about Kuala Lumpur City Hall’s (DBKL) proposal to construct a two-block vertical school of between 10 and 17 storeys.

To refine the design of these schools, Wong said they had engaged the housing and local government ministry, public works department, fire and rescue department, as well as parents and teachers.

He said the housing and local government ministry had proposed three models, namely constructing schools on land specifically earmarked for education purposes; incorporating community facilities such as clinics and libraries; and integrating school buildings with residential and commercial developments.

Wong added that the implementation of vertical schools would be subject to assessments by the education ministry and the relevant technical agencies, particularly in areas with populations exceeding one million.

DBKL previously proposed the construction of more vertical-concept schools to address land constraints and the growing population in the capital city.