I am saddened by the tragic death of the late teacher Chan Boon Heng. Natural death is understandable but death by falling through a termite-infested plywood flooring is not acceptable.

Whatever reasons there may be given after the investigation, one cannot discount negligence and poor maintenance programmes. Why is the Education Ministry not implementing simple safety audit system for all school buildings in the country?

One may be surprised to discover that even fire extinguishers in schools may not have the required operating pressure. Safety audits for schools should also include fire emergency drills and evacuation procedures.

Complacency is a disease ingrained in our culture. I hope to attract the attention of all the government agencies, ministries and so forth. The safety of our children must be considered a national issue.