We’re with you: Fadhlina comforting (left) fire victims Nurul Adawiyah, mother of Nurul Khairina Qalesya and Nurul Kharina Arsyilla at SMK USJ 23. Looking on are (from left) Wong, Jafri, Azman and Aminuddin.
Long-term counselling and compassionate support are crucial to help those affected move forward and recuperate from the Putra Heights, Subang Jaya, gas pipeline fire on April 1, say teachers, students and government officials.
For 17-year-old Muhammad Aqil Hassan from SMK Alam Megah, witnessing his family go through the ordeal made him worry about their well-being, despite the home suffering only minor damage.
“My mother suffered a panic attack and a spike in blood pressure when she saw the condition of the house. She was in shock, so we rushed her to the hospital.
“My father also needed medical attention after experiencing a minor stroke,” he said, adding that his brother sustained second-degree burns on his head and leg while he had suffered minor burns on his hand and leg.
Following his family’s recovery, Aqil said he found counselling support at school helpful in processing the experience.
“I felt relieved after sharing my problems with the school counsellor, who told me to reach out anytime if I ever need help,” he said during the Putra Heights gas pipeline fire donation handover ceremony at SMK USJ 23 on April 16.
All affected students, teachers and staff from 37 schools received an RM1,000 financial aid from the Education Ministry, together with Yayasan Guru Tun Hussein Onn and Yayasan Didik Negara.
Present at the ceremony were Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek and her deputy Wong Kah Woh; Education secretary-general Datuk Dr Aminuddin Hassim, director-general Datuk Azman Adnan, deputy director-general (Professionalism Development Sector) Dr Mohd Azam Ahmad and deputy director-general (School Operations) Zainal Abas; Yayasan Guru Tun Hussein Onn chief executive officer Zahirudin Mohammad Hanif and Selangor State Education Department director Dr Jafri Abu.
Aqil was one of seven students impacted by the fire, said SMK Alam Megah student welfare teacher Asnida Kamaru Zaman.
She said the school’s Parent-Teacher Association offered an additional RM1,000 to assist the family of each student affected.
“Two of them (students) are still traumatised as they lost their homes entirely. They were away for Hari Raya, and were devastated when they returned to find their houses completely destroyed,” she said.
Nonetheless, Asnida said the school’s counselling team would continue to monitor the students’ well-being through regular check-ins and maintain communication with their parents to provide ongoing emotional support.
“The teachers are very close to the students – especially the class teacher, who makes it a point to check on them daily and to make sure their emotional needs are taken care of,” she said, adding that most of her students have come to accept what happened and are truly grateful for the continuous support they have received so far.
On April 16, the Education Ministry said the tragedy had impacted 133 victims, including 128 students and five teachers. Nine individuals who were previously admitted have since been discharged.
Fadhlina said the ministry would continue to provide support for students, especially through counselling.
Meanwhile, Zainal said the ministry has mobilised the Smart Support Team (SST), which consists of guidance and counselling teachers, to provide psychosocial support, while the Academic Support Team (AST), made up of volunteer academic teachers, is responsible for providing academic assistance to the victims while they were at the temporary evacuation centre (PPS).
“Our counselling teachers are trained in many techniques and methods to assess a student’s emotional state.
“Early intervention is important to detect how the affected students are coping, and then determine how to carry out the right interventions,” he said.
When asked about the ministry’s efforts to ensure that everyone receives the RM1,000 aid, he explained that the distribution is based on a list of victims registered by the Social Welfare Department (JKM) while they were at the PPS.
Zainal also urged any victims who missed out on receiving assistance to immediately contact the Selangor State Education Department or the nearest district education office, which will then verify their case.
