BAGAN DATUK: Some 1,000 representatives from various government agencies and religious institutions nationwide are expected to participate in the Occupational Safety and Health Management (KKP) seminar for tahfiz schools here, tomorrow.
The national seminar will be launched by Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi at Irshadiah Addiniah Religious Secondary School.
Zahid, who is also Bagan Datuk Member of Parliament, will also launch a KKP Handbook to help religious educational institutions increase their level of safety and wellbeing.
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) chairman Tan Sri Lee Lam Thye said the one-day seminar is aimed at enhancing understanding of the topic of safety, and cultivating good KKP culture in tahfiz schools.
He said it is focused on entrepreneurs, administrators, principals, teachers and staff serving at religious schools.
Lee added that tahfiz schools are exposed to various security risks, including fires and accidents that could cause injury and death.
"Among the incidents we cannot forget is the fire that killed 27 students at Taufiqiah al-Khairiah al-Halimiah Religious School, or Pondok Pak Ya in Yan, Kedah, in 1989.
"There was also the fire at Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah at Jalan Keramat Ujung, Kuala Lumpur, on Sept 14, which killed 21 students and two teachers," he said in a statement issued here today.
Lee said the fire at the Tahfiz Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah led the government to set up a Tahfiz Special Task Force which is chaired by Zahid himself.
He said NIOSH was invited to join the committee to coordinate and monitor the management of religious schools, maahad tahfiz and cottage schools nationwide, with the cooperation of the state government.
"NIOSH has been given the responsibility of conducting a massive awareness campaign on KKP for tahfiz schools nationwide, with the cooperation of the Fire and Rescue Department, the local authority (PBT) and the Association of Tahfiz Al-Quran Kebangsaan Institutions (PINTA)," he said.
Lee added that the Tahfiz School Health Management Seminar commenced last October with the Selangor state-level programme, and the same programme will be held this year in Johor (March), Kedah (April), Terengganu (May) and Sabah (July).
On the KKP Handbook for tahfiz schools published by NIOSH, Lee said that it contains illustrations that are easy to understand, and tips that could be easily implemented in all tahfiz schools throughout the country.
