Fire is not the only hazard in schools!
Jul 13, 2008
LETTER OF THE DAY<br><br>EDITOR—A couple of weeks ago on their sports day, I went to visit my grandson, a new student in S1 at Kings College Budo, and we had a great time together. There have been most disturbing events of over 30 fires after the Budo Junior inferno in April when 20 pupils peri
LETTER OF THE DAY
EDITOR—A couple of weeks ago on their sports day, I went to visit my grandson, a new student in S1 at Kings College Budo, and we had a great time together. There have been most disturbing events of over 30 fires after the Budo Junior inferno in April when 20 pupils perished.
What happened at Budo Junior can also happen in a high profile school like Kings College Budo, given the most indiscriminate and callous manner in which these crimes have been committed. What if among the crowd, an arsonist sneaked in and did the worst, my mind reasoned!
I happened to enter my grandson’s dormitory at the end of the sports events as we ferried in some supplies of milk and other edible items right to his bedside.
There were rows of double-decker beds (thank God not triple-deckers) in Australia House.
What struck me most was the congestion of the dormitory and lack of space for personal effects.
The room was dark and children just stood next to, sat or lay on their beds. Kept on the floor, on top of or under the beds were their suitcases, card-board or metal boxes.
I came away disturbed, asking myself again: “What if…?†The Inspector General of Police has now issued fire safety guidelines to the school authorities and the police to implement.
The Ministry of Education should go further to draw clear minimum standards to be observed.
This should not just in times of emergency but at all times, including enforcement of public health safety and environmental standards to protect the children from all accidents and prevent them from diseases and other health hazards, including those caused by overcrowding.
The health inspectorate and occupational safety departments must equally be involved in issuing guidelines, supervision, and ensuring minimum standards of safety for fire and accident prevention.
School administrations and their governing bodies must be on the alert and tighten their belts by instituting strict enforcement of security and safety measures or policies that must be adhered to by all on a day to day basis, for the protection of our children.
Parents must also be actively involved in the supervision of their children’s schools through their representatives.
Name withheld
EDITOR—A couple of weeks ago on their sports day, I went to visit my grandson, a new student in S1 at Kings College Budo, and we had a great time together. There have been most disturbing events of over 30 fires after the Budo Junior inferno in April when 20 pupils perished.
What happened at Budo Junior can also happen in a high profile school like Kings College Budo, given the most indiscriminate and callous manner in which these crimes have been committed. What if among the crowd, an arsonist sneaked in and did the worst, my mind reasoned!
I happened to enter my grandson’s dormitory at the end of the sports events as we ferried in some supplies of milk and other edible items right to his bedside.
There were rows of double-decker beds (thank God not triple-deckers) in Australia House.
What struck me most was the congestion of the dormitory and lack of space for personal effects.
The room was dark and children just stood next to, sat or lay on their beds. Kept on the floor, on top of or under the beds were their suitcases, card-board or metal boxes.
I came away disturbed, asking myself again: “What if…?†The Inspector General of Police has now issued fire safety guidelines to the school authorities and the police to implement.
The Ministry of Education should go further to draw clear minimum standards to be observed.
This should not just in times of emergency but at all times, including enforcement of public health safety and environmental standards to protect the children from all accidents and prevent them from diseases and other health hazards, including those caused by overcrowding.
The health inspectorate and occupational safety departments must equally be involved in issuing guidelines, supervision, and ensuring minimum standards of safety for fire and accident prevention.
School administrations and their governing bodies must be on the alert and tighten their belts by instituting strict enforcement of security and safety measures or policies that must be adhered to by all on a day to day basis, for the protection of our children.
Parents must also be actively involved in the supervision of their children’s schools through their representatives.
Name withheld