PAITAN: Sekolah Kebangsaan (SK) Simpangan in Paitan is set to be relocated to a new site on Koperasi Pembangunan Desa (KPD) land in Kampung Simpangan in response to the ongoing flooding issues that have severely affected teaching and learning activities at the current location.
State Minister of Education, Science, Technology and Innovation, Datuk James Ratib, said the school, which was completely destroyed in a significant flood earlier this year, would be rebuilt at a safer and more suitable location.
The KPD land in Kampung Simpangan has been identified as an ideal site for the school’s relocation, taking into account both safety considerations and the long-term needs of students and staff who have often been exposed to flood risks at the current school site.
“SK Simpangan, which is frequently affected by floods, should be moved to a higher ground near Kampung Simpangan, located on the KPD site proposed by the Village Development and Security Committee. The current location is low-lying and near a river, making it prone to flooding,” he said.
He also proposed that the current SK Simpangan site in Pekan Paitan be repurposed into SK Pekan Paitan.
James made this statement during a visit to the temporary construction site for SK Simpangan at the Pekan Tamu Mingguan area in Pekan Paitan on Saturday.
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He emphasised that the relocation proposal would undergo land gazettement procedures before being submitted to the Department of Lands and Surveys, and would later be presented under the 13th Malaysia Plan (RMK-13) for approval.
He said temporary arrangements would be made at the open hall of SMK Simpangan, with partitions being installed to ensure that students’ learning remains uninterrupted.
“This temporary solution is crucial to provide a conducive learning environment while the new school building is under construction,” he said.
During his visit, James also inspected SMK Simpangan and received briefings from the Sabah Education Department on the current status of education developments in the region.
This relocation initiative is viewed as a proactive measure by the state government, in collaboration with the State Education Department, to protect the safety and welfare of the school community while enhancing rural education infrastructure in Sabah.
