Ministry: Schools must abide by outdoor activity rules

SEREMBAN: All schools and colleges have been reminded to follow the guidelines on outdoor activities following the recent death of a 14-year-old who collapsed and later died after participating in a cross country run.

The Education Ministry said all institutions under its purview must follow these guidelines as the government was committed to student safety and well-being.

The ministry also expressed its condolences to the family of Nuqman Naufal Shamsu Fadzli, the Form Two student of Sekolah Menengah Sains Tuanku Jaafar, Kuala Pilah, who died while receiving treatment at the district hospital on Friday.

The boy collapsed after a 7km run with some 700 other students.

“The MOE urges all parties to respect the privacy of the deceased’s family. At the same time, the ministry has taken immediate action to provide welfare assistance to the family,” the statement said, according to Bernama.

According to media reports, Kuala Pilah deputy police chief DSP Syahrul Anuar Abdul Wahab said that the boy had a heart defect, which was diagnosed in 2016 and he had been receiving treatment from the National Heart Institute.

Meanwhile, in JOHOR, State Education and Information Committee chairman Aznan Tamin emphasised the importance of schools being aware of students’ health conditions.

Schools officials must ensure that parental consent forms are filled and that students’ records are updated to determine whether any of them need to be exempted from sports activities.

“We have not encountered such cases yet, but I have discussed with the Education director to take precautionary measures and exercise caution in extracurricular activities, such as crosscountry events, considering the current weather conditions,” he said yesterday.