KUANTAN: The Ministry of Education (MoE) prioritises the welfare and safety of staff and students in educational institutions and has made early preparations for the Northeast Monsoon (MTL) floods.
Its secretary-general, Datuk Ruji Ubi said all preparations, covering all aspects, had been made, including making students and staff understand the impact of the disaster, thereby helping to reduce the risk of loss of life and property.
Describing them as the front line, he said, they need to be given sufficient knowledge and skills, as well as resources, for them to act faster when faced with the situation.
“Community awareness and involvement is the main optic for the effectiveness of disaster risk management and reduction.
“For example, if a disaster occurs in the school premises, of course, the school staff, teachers, students, security guards and canteen cleaners need to have the knowledge and skills to deal with the situation to reduce the risk of accidents,“ he said.
He said this at the launch of the MoE’s preparation to face MTL at Sekolah Menengah Kebangsaan (SMK) Padang Garuda here recently.
Ruji said the well-being of education is not only seen from the aspect of infrastructure provision, ease of access or digitalisation support but also needs to be supported by a critical attitude towards the current forces that affect the education environment.
Therefore, the National Disaster Risk Reduction Policy 2030 which was launched last Oct 3, according to Ruji, is capable of being the axis and guide to sustainable disaster risk management through the outlined core strategy and targets.
“Disaster Risk Reduction or (DRR) is an intervention to ensure everyone in the educational institutions, especially students, are always prepared to face disasters. Students are given a comprehensive exposure on measures to deal with a disaster, how to protect themselves and when a disaster occurs,“ he said.
Students should also be prepared when their educational institutions are turned into relief centres (PPS, he said, adding that a total of 258 educational institutions have been identified for use as PPS for MTL 2023/2024.
As such, he encouraged school staff and students to embrace a sense of responsibility by volunteering to offer support and assistance to victims sheltered in PPS and to collaborate with agencies involved in managing these centres.
Meanwhile, Education Deputy Director-General (Professionalism Development Sector) Sharifuddin Ali Hussin said MoE’s preparation to face MTL is an annual event involving 500 participants consisting of students, teachers, Teacher Education Institutions as well as agencies related to disaster management.
He said the purpose of the programme was to show the ministry’s concern for the safety and welfare of MOE’s staff and students.
Among measures taken by the ministry in preparing for MTL include holding Disaster Management Committee meetings with disaster management agencies such as the National Disaster Management Agency, MET Malaysia, the Department of Social Welfare and the Ministry of Health.
He said a notification letter related to flood disaster preparedness and flood management guidelines, dated Oct 22, had been sent to all state education departments, district education offices (PPD) and educational institutions to take the necessary measures.
He said the KPM MTL Flood Disaster Task Force Committee was also established in addition to providing counselling services by education counsellors, Smart Support Team (SST) and Academic Support Team (AST).
