Dabong students eager to start school despite flood

While pupils in Kelantan will be starting their 2015 school term today, schoolchildren living around Dabong have to be content with staying at home for another week.

This is because the schools in Dabong had been rendered inoperative by the devastating flood.

Mohd Shahaludin Mohd Zin, 13, who should be in Form One, was excited about starting the new term after completing primary school last year.

"I should be in class at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Dabong but I was told the school is still not ready as it is full of mud.

[PHOTO GALLERY]: FLOODS HIT THE EAST COAST

"This year I get to make new friends as I will be in form one. I wish I could start school tomorrow," he told Bernama when met here, Saturday.

Another student, Hafiz Ahmad, 15, could not wait to start school after the long and extended holiday.

"I am eager to go back to school, and meet friends and teachers. But I have not even bought my uniform, while the school has not been been cleaned up yet," he said.

A survey found cleaning works being carried out at Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Dabong and SK Kemubu by various agencies and volunteers.

[MORE PHOTOS]: POST-FLOODS CLEAN-UP

The 2015 school term in Kedah, Kelantan, Terengganu and Johor will commence on Jan 11 while other states, on Jan 12.

Yesterday, Education director-general Datuk Seri Dr Khair Mohamad Yusof said four schools in Kelantan, namely SK Dabong, SK Kemubu, SK Lela Jasa and SMK Dabong would only start their 2015 school term on Jan 18.