Student safety is paramount

GEORGE TOWN: The Education Ministry has always reminded school authorities to adhere to safety guidelines for co-curricular activities, said Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin.

The Education Minister said that some parents had voiced concern on their children’s safety when they participated in such activities.

“They hope there will be proper security measures taken and proper preparations made before the activities are carried out. I explained that all this while, we have asked school authorities especially teachers to abide by the safety guidelines,” he said.

Muhyiddin, however, said it was up to the teachers’ own discretion as there were so many co-curricular activities.

“There are about 10,000 schools in Malaysia and as I am talking here, many students could be engaged in co-curricular activities somewhere that we might not be able to monitor. That is why it is important for them to place safety as the utmost important aspect,” he said.

The Deputy Prime Minister also expressed condolences to the families of the six victims who were killed in the dragon boat mishap on Sunday and presented RM3,000 from the Home Ministry emergency fund and RM1,000 from the Education Ministry to the families at the Batu Gantong crematorium here yesterday.

The survivors were given RM200 each from the Education Ministry.

The ministry will also make arrangements to posthumously confirm Chin Aik Siang’s status as a teacher.

Chin had just started teaching for slightly more than a year, so his status had yet to be ascertained.

In Petaling Jaya, Housing and Local Government Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha said the search and rescue team did their best in trying to rescue the students.

He said credit should be given to the Fire and Rescue Department, Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency, police and other rescue organisations.

“Although the ‘cloudy’ water where the dragon boat capsized hampered rescue efforts, the authorities did their best,” he said.

Kong was commenting on criticisms levelled at the department that rescue work was slow.

Meanwhile, PAS extended its condolences to the families of the victims and urged the authorities to investigate the incident thoroughly.

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