KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 28 — The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) has urged the Education Ministry (MOE) to improve occupational safety and health (OSH) aspects in schools to prevent a recurrence of student fatalities.
Its president Datuk Adnan Mat said schools must remain the safest place for students, teachers and the school community, and failure to ensure this would undermine parents’ confidence in the national education system.
“Cuepacs believes immediate, comprehensive and systematic action must be taken. A tragedy involving the loss of lives must not be taken lightly.
“The MOE must perform a comprehensive audit of school infrastructure nationwide, identify risk points and take preventive measures to avoid a recurrence of such incidents,” he said in a statement today.
He said this in response to a tragedy involving a Year 3 pupil who died after falling into an uncovered sewage pit at a school yesterday.
Adnan said the MOE should involve OSH experts in managing and implementing safety aspects in schools, apart from forging strategic cooperation with agencies such as the Occupational Safety and Health Department (DOSH) and the Malaysian Society for Occupational Safety and Health (MSOSH) to ensure compliance with safety standards and minimise accident risks.
“Student safety must be the primary agenda in the management of schools and the ministry. There can be no compromise when lives are at stake.
“We urge the MOE to strengthen safety procedures, prioritise maintenance aspects and ensure the school environment is free from hazards,” he said.
The media reported yesterday that a nine-year-old boy died after falling into a sewage pit at a school in Lenggeng, Negeri Sembilan.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said the MOE has launched an investigation into the incident, stressing that there would be no compromise on the safety and well-being of all members of education institutions.
