In Ning'an in northeast China's Heilongjiang Province, 106 people have been confirmed dead, including 102 schoolchildren, and three others are still missing, according to latest reports released Friday by Xinhua News Agency.
Yesterday, the Ministry of Education (MOE) reminded all schools, including kindergartens, that safety education is mandatory, pushing school safety back into the spotlight again.
The message took on a particular sense of urgency and purpose following the disaster.
Six specific measures have to be implemented to ensure safety at schools, said Chen Xiaoya, vice minister of education, during a teleconference jointly held by the Ministry of Public Security and the MOE yesterday in Beijing.
One: Schools have to coordinate safety measures with local public security authorities.
Two: Local authorities should conduct safety checks in schools nationwide. Any classroom deemed to be dangerous has to be renovated or rebuilt.
Three: School buses have to undergo safety checks by traffic departments, and private vehicles cannot be used as school buses.
Four: The production and dealing of dangerous goods and articles are strictly forbidden on any campus. Vehicles that do not belong to the school cannot be parked on the grounds.
Five: Emergency evacuation drills -- in the event of floods, mudslides, earthquakes and fire -- have to be conducted in all schools, urban and rural.
Six: Boarding schools should have night patrols and roll calls to ensure that all students are safe in their dormitories.
"Safety education is being emphasized once more," said Ma Jiabin, an official with the Elementary Education Division of MOE, referring to the Ning'an floods.
Safety awareness already has a place in the school curriculum. Since 1996, the last Monday in March is the designated Safety Education Day for primary and secondary schools, Ma said.
Different themes are chosen each year. This year, it is road traffic safety because road traffic accidents are the No.1 cause of death among students.
(China Daily June 17, 2005)
