Prompt precaution: Fire safety ordered at educational institutions

“Training courses on fire safety should be conducted,” Pir Mazharul Haq, education minister.

KARACHI:

The Baldia factory fire has set alarm bells ringing in the official quarters. The education minister has directed that fire safety measures must be adopted at all government schools and colleges.

While presiding over a meeting on Tuesday, Pir Mazharul Haq ordered the education secretary and the colleges director to ensure there is fire safety equipment at all educational institutions in the province. “Training courses on fire safety should be conducted,” he added. “The factory blaze is a national tragedy to be learnt from,” Haq said. Refuting the allegations of corruption in the education department, the minister said that the funds released by the World Bank for promotion of education in Sindh are monitored by third-party validation and no corruption was reported. “Transparency is fully maintained in this process,” he said. “Some so-called teachers are just trying to defame the department.”

Published in The Express Tribune, September 19^th, 2012.