Maintenance Unit for schools at the Public Works Department (PWD)

DAP National Deputy Chairman and MP for Kepong Dr Tan Seng Giaw calls on the Public Works Department (PWD) to consider whether it is feasible to set up a special unit for the maintenance of schools, irrespective of their streams, partially or fully aided.

The Education Minister Dato' Seri Hishamuddin and the Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu must investigate whether there is a suggestion from any quarters to stop maintenance works on schools. Meanwhile, the efficiency of maintenance must be improved.

Dr Tan comments on the the injury due to a falling ceiling fan on two pupils attending a class at the Kepong Primary Chinese School 1. 28.10.2007.

On 22.10. 2007 at 4 pm, a ceiling fan in a primary one class in Kepong Primary Chinese School 1 fell, injuring two 7-year-olds. The male pupil Li Jia Qin was sent to Selayang Hospital because of head injury. The female pupil Que Yu Tong injured her lips and went to Assunta Hospital. Both have been sent home. This is unfortunate. We sympathize with Jia Qin, Yu Tong and their families.

The Deputy Education Minister Datuk Hon Choon Kim has written to schools to inspect strictly all equipment. Besides individual school inspection, PWD must review its procedure and efficiency in maintenance works at schools. Some people have said that PWD will not carry out maintenance works at schools. Hisham and Samy must investigate whether this is true. They must consider if it is practicable to set up a special unit in PWD to deal with maintenance works in over 10,000 schools in the country. If there are 10,000 schools with each having say 500 fans, there are at least five million fans.

Education Departments introduce 3K scheme, Keselamatan, Kesihatan dan Kebersihan,( Security, Health and Cleanliness) at schools. These departments must ensure that the scheme is fully implemented. Recently, a teacher in a Chinese Primary School in Alor Setar, fell to his death because the floor at the school collapsed. The Kedah Education Department allocated funds to maintain some schools. Truly, we all have a duty to promote the scheme in schools. One way of ensuring safety is effective maintenance, for which education departments must pay much attention.

Dr Tan Seng Giaw