KUALA LUMPUR: The Congress of Unions of Employees in the Public and Civil Services (Cuepacs) has urged the Education Ministry to improve occupational safety and health (OSH) in schools to prevent a recurrence of student fatalities.
Its president Datuk Dr 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 ministry needs to carry out 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 on Sunday (Sept 28).
He said this in response to the tragedy involving a Year Three pupil who died after falling into an uncovered sewage pit at a school on Saturday.
Adnan said the ministry should also 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 ministry to strengthen safety procedures, prioritise maintenance aspects and ensure the school environment is free from hazards," he said.
The media reported on Saturday that a nine-year-old boy died after falling into a sewage pit at a school in Lenggeng, Nilai, Negeri Sembilan.
Negri Sembilan Police Chief Datuk Alzafny Ahmad said the Nilai district police headquarters received a report on the incident at 11am.
Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek said that her ministry had launched an investigation into the incident, stressing that there would be no compromise on the safety and well-being of all members of educational institutions. - Bernama
