03-08-2025
Expert: Treat safety in schools as a public health matter
A worrisome problem: A file photo showing SJK(C) Pei Hwa in Kampung Kemang, Kota Tinggi, Johor, hit by floods which rose as high as the school's fence early last year.
PETALING JAYA: Fire and flood safety in schools must be recognised as a public health priority, not merely a safety concern, says Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia Faculty of Medicine Assoc Prof Dr Rosnah Ismail.
Dr Rosnah, who is also a public health medicine specialist, said achieving meaningful preparedness requires a whole-of-community approach, starting with the parent-teacher association (PTA).
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'To institutionalise a safety culture, every PTA meeting should include a dedicated agenda item on school health and safety, ensuring that risk management remains a top priority.
'In emergencies, PTA members must be prepared to act according to the evacuation plan. Their involvement is essential in bridging the immediate response gap, protecting lives and reinforcing community resilience,' she said.
Parent Action Group for Education Malaysia chairman Datin Noor Azimah Abdul Rahim urged policymakers to treat disaster preparedness in schools not as an occasional awareness campaign but as a systemic reform agenda – interwoven with education quality, equity and sustainability.
'Emergency preparedness must be proactive, inclusive and student-centred. Schools are not isolated institutions – they are often the heart of the community.
'By equipping them with the knowledge, tools and resources to withstand and respond to natural hazards, we are protecting not just educational continuity, but lives,' she said.
Since 2002, all schools, said the Education Ministry, must conduct self-assessment ratings on student activity management; school infrastructure safety management; social management; crisis or disaster management; risk management; and school security guard service management to ensure a safe learning environment.
'The self-assessment information will be verified by the State Education Departments and District Education Offices before further action is taken by the relevant authorities,' it said, calling on all principals and headmasters to take proactive measures to prevent fire incidents in schools.
These include measures outlined in Circular No. 7/2000: Fire Prevention in Schools such as conducting fire drills, organising fire extinguisher demonstrations and preparing fire safety plans.
Noting that one of the known causes of school fires is short circuits caused by ageing electrical wiring, the ministry said schools are required to report building conditions, including electrical wiring, in the School Safety Rating System.
'If there are issues related to wiring, the Public Works Department will be consulted before further action is taken.'
