The monsoon season spells danger and disaster in certain areas, and the recent landslide in Batang Kali should serve as a solid reminder for us that location-wise for your destination during this school holiday season is important.
A meteorology expert from Universiti Malaya, Professor Datuk Azizan Abu Samah has a suggestion for the government when it comes to school holidays & monsoon season.
“School holidays during the middle of the year, maybe?”
Azizan said many disasters are bound to happen at the end of the year due to the monsoon season. For that, Azizan suggested the government postpone the school holiday season to June, July, or September.
“We have faced disasters that involve the death of many children, such as landslide, drowning,” Azizan told Astro Awani.
He also said that this suggestion of postponement should be considered as the students tend to go on vacation during the year-end, which is prone to the risk of disasters.
Azizan highlighted that parents also play an important role when it comes to the safety of their children by avoiding high-risk destinations, and said that the summer holiday in the United Kingdom is an example of a safer option that we can follow.
“The summer holiday in UK is to allow the students and the people there to go on vacation comfortably when there are less risks for disasters,” he explained.
Azizan said that camping is also a safe option if the school holiday in Malaysia is officially postponed to the middle of the year and that the government may consider his suggestion so that the students can spend their holidays safely and comfortably.
“So, the kids go to school during the flood?”
Azizan’s suggestion did not sit well with many Malaysians, and many have dubbed his thought a bad idea. In the comment sections, many highlighted that the flood season at the end of the year is not a good time for students to attend school.
“How do the students even study when the schools are turned into temporary evacuation centers (PPS)? How do they even go to school?”
“Does he even know why school holidays are at the end of the year? Because schools are PPS.”
“Just retain the holidays and follow the instructions from the authorities if there is any disaster.”
Meanwhile, more netizens said that it’s unwise for students to attend school when the flood hits the area.
“More detailed research please, professor. Or else parents have to prepare diving suits and swimming have to be included in the curriculum. That’s a lot of work.”
“Holidays during the monsoon season are good enough. Do you expect the teachers to take care of the students? Why would you even go on a holiday anyway?”
“The year-end school holiday is for the students to be on holiday so that they don’t have to brace through the flood to go to school.”
“Are you asking the students to attend school during the flood?”
“Schools are turned into PPS during the flood. Just focus on the weather, prof. I suggest you move the rain to your house.”
Fellow Malaysians, do you think we should follow the UK school schedule or do you think students should be given their time off during the year-end?
Also read: Politician Wants UMNO in Kelantan to Stop Helping Flood Victims Because “They’re ungrateful”
