The Education Ministry has shared the results of its investigation into the drowning accident in Kaafu atoll Huraa with families of the deceased. The accident left four students and a principal of Hiriya School dead earlier this month.
Details of the investigation have not been released to the public.
The Ministry did issue a statement recommending schools amend their budgets to accommodate a program which would establish safety measures, implement precautionary measures at campsites jointly with relevant authorities, and familiarise management officials and employees with these measures by the end of the year, Haveeru reports.
Police are continuing their investigation of the incident. Sub-Inspector Ahmed Shiyam said investigators are taking care to respect families and friends involved.
“The police are doing a very detailed investigation, and we are respecting the victims’ families, students, teachers and classmates. We have to give them time to recover, so we are not forcing them to participate more than they are willing to at this time,” said Shiyam.
Shiyam said evidence from the site of the incident and nearby Huraa island has been gathered and is being processed. He said the investigation will be done as soon as possible.
Minister Shifa Mohamed, School Board Chairperson, Deputy Education Minister Dr Abdulla Nazeer and Dr Abdul Muhsin Mohamed, who chaired the committee tasked to investigate the accident, also met with the families of the deceased, reports Haveeru. Education Minister Abdullah Nazeer assured the families that the recommended measures would be implemented.
The Education Ministry had not responded to inquiries at time of press.
Nashath Saeed of Meenaz/Gaaf Alif atoll Dhehvadhoo, Mariyam Naaz of Suvaasaage/Haa Alif atoll Hoarafushi, Aishath Shaaniha of Handhuvary Villa/Raa atoll Rasmaadhoo and Mariyam Shaiha of Maafannu Moisha and Principal Ali Nazim drowned during a Fisheries Science field trip to the campsite in Huraa.
Ahmed (Calvin) Nazeer is the most useless board chairs I have ever seen.
A whole lot of hoopla and gobshite again ! Just get yourself a few certified life guards with proper CPR training to be at the shore for these kind of trips. Also I hear they initially went there to study the effects of a tidal wave, I fail to see how 30 odd student laughing, shrieking and swimming had to do with THAT! Call it what it is. It was a fun trip taken with no thought to safety or responsibility. You are asking for a fatal drowning!
@unknown person..ALL drownings are fatal.
The President gave a good handful to the parents board for escalating the problem and blaming the principle.
Life guards yes. How about life vests? When you travel by speed boats, some of these boats require that you wear the life vest and I think it's a great idea. Just as seat belts are compulsory in other parts of the world why can't life vests be made compulsory?
Emergency fire drills in school and other places are equally important.
Safety first,
Seat belts, helmets, life-vests, eating in moderation, condoms, insurance, pension plans etc. etc. are not considered important in our country.
Why even people who pretend to understand the law such as Ali Hussein (a local idiot popularized by the media) jumps around harping against pension and taxation and other modern reforms.
Our country's physical infrastructure has seen a lot of little-planned development. However our social infrastructure (including public awareness, education, general knowledge, IQ, common courtesy) has regressed beyond recognition. We are people ruined by our lack of true education and our pretentious absorption of misguided habits that we consider to be modern/"Western" and hip.
I suggest that Police or Coast Guard or MNDF provide Life Guard service for all school field trips in future and ensure that students wear life jackets when ever they venture into the sea during these trips. So when ever a school wants to go on a field trip, they need to get the safety gear and Life Guards arranged from the designated office.