Lesson in safety from teacher’s death

I CAN’T help noticing some inaccurate public postings on social media demanding the Education Ministry be the sole responsible stakeholder for the recent unfortunate loss of a school teacher in Mulu, Sarawak, due to a fire started possibly by a faulty diesel-powered generator.

(A report on her death appeared in The Star, “Teacher killed in Mulu hostel fire”, on July 26.)

The Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH), under the Human Resources Ministry, should have strictly enforced the regulations and preventive measures to be undertaken in order to protect the employees’ welfare (in this case, the teacher) and her clients (the students).

The new government knew there were diesel-powered generators used in schools, as acknowl- edged by Yeo Bee Yin, the minister in charge of Mestecc (Ministry of Energy, Science, Technology, Environment and Climate Change) at her recent townhall meeting with industry stakeholders. The event was to foster innovation among the industry players to develop new, safe, predictable and cost-effective energy sources.

The Education Ministry has to step up in educating their own gatekeepers and stakeholders to adhere to the occupational safety, health and environment policies that have been put together by DOSH, and simultaneously collaborate with the Human Resources Ministry and Mestecc to carry out:

> The three “Us”: Upgrade, update and upskill of current facilities, preventive measures, policies and/or competencies of the stakeholders and gatekeepers.

> Draw up a concrete plan for the interim period while awaiting new energy sources and more importantly, ensuring there is a project and the right incentives in place to look at the alternative energy sources.

> Start emphasising critical thinking in teaching so that in future, Malaysians can benefit more from the exchanges on social media.

Lastly, my condolences to the family of Catherine Janet Tawi. She will be remembered for her final lesson: the big impact her death brought to Malaysians, and to the new government on their approach to problem-solving and setting a new path for the future.

RAYMOND C.W. WONG Postgraduate Law Student University of Edinburgh