23 SPM candidates affected by Bertam Valley disaster

Twenty-three of the 416 candidates for the Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination in Cameron Highlands face difficulties to sit for the examination following the flash flood and landslide incidents in the

area.

Pahang Education Department's examination and evaluation sector head, Mohd Razali Mustafar said the candidates found it difficult to sit for the examination as their homes were affected by the disaster and the routes to the examination centres were blocked by the landslides.

"Today, two male SPM candidates were forced to turn up later than the scheduled examination starting time of 8am. One turned up at 8.30am and the other at 9.05am as their homes in Kampung Ringlet were affected by the disaster.

"Nevertheless, they were given flexibility to sit for the exam and also given additional time for the Moral Education paper at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan Ringlet," he said when contacted by Bernama, here, today.

He added that 21 candidates from Kampung Raja and the Orang Asli village of Terisu had to be fetched from the Kampung Raja relief centre as the road to the examination centre at SMK Kampung Raja was cut off due to landslides.

"With the help of many quarters, all the candidates were ferried to the examination centre on time to sit for the Islamic Education paper."

Mohd Razali said the District Education Office had endeavoured to provide hostels for SPM candidates affected by the disaster.

He said there were 416 SPM candidates in Cameron Highlands sitting for the examination at three centres, namely SMK Ringlet (122 candidates), SMK Kampung Raja (110) and SMK Sultan Ahmad Shah (164), and 20 private candidates.