Tenom: Seven primary schools affected by flooding and landslides in two Sabah districts were unable to reopen on the first day of the 2026 school session, Monday, affecting a total of 1,131 students.
State Education Department Director Datuk Raisin Saidin said five primary schools in Beaufort remain affected by floods, while one school in Tenom is closed due to safety concerns following a landslide within the school compound.
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The affected schools in Beaufort are SK Bangkalalak, SK Garama, SK Jabang, SK Lago and SK Suasa.
“Another school that remains closed is SK Simpang in Tenom due to safety concerns, based on advice from the Public Works Department following a landslide at the school,” he said in a statement in conjunction with the opening of the 2026 school session, here, Monday.
Raisin said the affected schools will only reopen once floodwaters have fully subsided and it is safe for students and teachers to return.
He said the affected schools have been given the option of conducting home-based teaching and learning (PdPR) during the closure period or holding replacement classes on Saturdays once schools reopen.
Raisin said 43,385 pupils began Year One, Monday, while 44,851 students started secondary school in Sabah for the 2026 session.
He said this includes 410 students enrolled in transition classes.
These figures form part of the 276,144 primary school pupils and 214,170 secondary school students recorded for the new 2026 school session.
“Overall, there are 490,314 pupils and students for the 2026 school session in Sabah, which begins today. For this year, Sabah recorded 43,385 Year One pupils and 44,851 Form One students,” he said.
He said the figures do not include students enrolled in special schools and special education classes.
The 2026 school session began today at more than 1,000 primary schools and over 200 secondary schools across Sabah.
