Kids flooded with relief as schools reopen

Nuttaleeya Saengsung, a Matthayom 5 student from Donmuang Taharnargardbumrung School in Don Muang district, which reopened on Tuesday, said the beginning of this semester was different from previous ones.

Now, she said, students not only study in the classrooms but also spend some of their spare time helping to clean them up, as well as other parts of the school compound that have been left in a mess after the flood receded.

Even before the semester started, many students went to the school as soon as it was dry to begin the clean-up.

"Even now, we haven't finished," said Nuttaleeya, 17, as she took a break from scrubbing filthy desks.

Normally, students would sing the morning national anthem and then head straight to their classrooms, but for now students and teachers scatter around the school's compound and get to work on the clean-up, with lessons getting under way later.

Some removed damaged chairs, tables and cabinets from the classrooms, while others washed educational equipment and collected litter.

"The school smells like a wet market, but we are very happy it was finally reopened after several postponements," Nuttaleeya said. "I was dying to see my friends again."

The Education Ministry originally set the opening of the second semester for Oct 25, and then postponed it repeatedly, first to Nov 7, and then to Nov 21 and again to Dec 6 due to prolonged floods. Finally the institutions were free to open their doors again last Tuesday.

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration also postponed the opening of flooded schools under its supervision from Nov 1 to Dec 6 and then Dec 13.