JOHOR BARU: A total of 36 schools in Johor will remain closed on the first day of the new school term, which begins on Sunday (Jan 9).

       Johor education, information, heritage and culture committee chairman Mazlan Bujang said that this is because the schools are either submerged by flood waters or are being used as temporary flood relief centres (PPS).

       "A total of 28 schools, including five secondary schools and 23 primary schools, are being used as PPS.

       "Meanwhile, eight schools have yet to recover from being submerged by flood waters.

       "These schools will remain closed temporarily until the flood situation in their respective areas improved," he said.

       Mazlan said this in a press conference after attending the closing ceremony of the Johor Traditional Games Festival at the Savannah Hill Resort, Ulu Tiram here on Saturday (Jan 8).

       Last month, the Education Ministry announced that the third term of the 2021/2022 school session would begin on Jan 9 following a week-long postponement due to the floods.

       The term was initially scheduled to start on Jan 2 for schools in Group A states and Jan 3 for those in Group B states and end on March 20 for both groups.

       Group A refers to Johor, Kedah, Kelantan and Terengganu, while Group B comprises Selangor, Melaka, Negri Sembilan, Pahang, Perak, Perlis, Penang, Sabah, Sarawak, and the Federal Territories of Kuala Lumpur, Labuan and Putrajaya.