SCHOOL safety measures must be comprehensively strengthened to ensure that educational institutions remain safe spaces for students to learn and develop, amid growing public concern over a series of recent incidents involving schoolchildren, said Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye.
The Alliance for a Safe Community chairman said recent safety-related incidents involving students had raised serious concerns among parents, educators and the wider community.
“Schools should be a safe place for children to gain knowledge, build their future and develop in a protected and conducive environment,” he said.
“Therefore, any incident that threatens the safety and wellbeing of students should be taken seriously and addressed immediately,” he added in a statement on Friday.Lee said the Ministry of Education’s move to finalise new guidelines to strengthen safety standards in schools nationwide was timely and commendable.
He said the initiative, developed together with the Education Institution Safety Reform Committee, reflected the government’s seriousness in addressing public concerns following several unfortunate incidents involving students.
“The latest case involving a school van hitting a primary school pupil at the school gate should serve as a lesson and a warning that safety standards in school areas must be urgently improved,” he said.
He also called for a comprehensive review of all existing safety guidelines, procedures and enforcement mechanisms within schools to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
While acknowledging the importance of formal guidelines, Lee stressed that building a strong safety culture within schools was equally critical.
“In this regard, it is time for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) programmes to be introduced and actively implemented in schools nationwide,” he said.
He added that such measures were appropriate as schools should also be regarded as workplaces that fall within the spirit and requirements of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994.
“Every school is encouraged to establish an Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) committee involving administrators, teachers, staff and parents’ representatives, which would be responsible for identifying risks and hazards, conducting regular safety audits, monitoring compliance levels, and recommending measures to improve safety in schools,” he said.
Lee said immediate attention should be given to key areas including traffic management within school compounds, pedestrian safety at school gates, emergency response procedures, fire safety, building maintenance, electrical safety, sports and playground safety, laboratory safety, food hygiene, as well as mental health support for both students and teachers.
He further urged that regular safety audits be conducted in all schools, alongside structured safety awareness and training programmes that should be embedded as part of school culture.
In addition, he said teachers, students, school transport operators, canteen workers and contractors entering school premises must also be given proper training and awareness on safety responsibilities and procedures.
“Children’s safety must not be compromised; preventive measures are best taken rather than having to regret tragedies that have occurred,” he said.
“Every student has the right to learn in a safe environment and every parent has the right to send their children to school with peace of mind and confidence,” he added. - May 8, 2026
