SEREMBAN: Students sitting for major examinations such as the UPSR and SPM this year need not worry if their schools are inaccessible due to floods because they will be assigned to another school nearby.

Schools at risk of floods have been briefed on the measures to take during the UPSR, PMR and SPM examinations, said Deputy Education Minister Datuk Chong Sin Woon.

“We have already identified the high-risk schools and briefed them on the standard procedure in case they are cut off due to floods.

“Parents and students need not worry if they are unable to make it to school on that day.

“The students will know where to go in case they are affected,” he said after opening a UPSR camp organised by the Negri Sembilan Ceylonese Association here yesterday.

Chong said teachers and staff of the affected schools would contact students via phone or social media to inform them of any change in venue.

“We will move the affected students to the nearest school for logistics purpose,” he said, adding that these arrangements have also been sorted out.

“In 2014, it was a disaster when many students could not sit for their exams due to unusually heavy rain in some states.

“But we were prepared for the following year as well as last year, and surprisingly, there was no rain,” he said.

The ministry, he said, would also obtain a seven-day weather forecast from the Meteorological Department before the start of the examination to advise students.

Earlier at another function, Chong, who is also MCA Youth chief, said as more central areas were being developed for housing and commerce, farmers needed to be more enterprising about the land available for agriculture.

“Through technology and education in new techniques, farmers will be able to improve efficiency and profitability,” he said during an agricultural grants and loans seminar at the Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman Sungai Long campus.

The seminar was held in collaboration between the university, MCA Youth’s Koperasi Petani Muda Malaysia (KPMM), Koperasi Jayadiri Malaysia (Kojadi) and Agro-based Industry Malaysia.

KPMM, said Chong, was still offering loans from a RM5mil fund for youths to start farming to help ensure the country’s food security.

The fund – a cooperation between KPMM and Kojadi – would be given to successful applicants at an annual interest rate of 4% to be paid back within five years.

Applicants must be a member of KPMM and Kojadi.

For more details, visit www.kojadi.my