Many Tuition Centres Are Potential Fire Traps

BUTTERWORTH: Almost 40% of the 250 tuition centres in Seberang Prai are operating in unsuitable locations and in buildings which are potential fire traps.
Seberang Prai municipal councillor Teoh Seang Hooi said a recent survey by the council found that many of the premises did not obtain the necessary approvals from the authorities.
He said the centres also failed to comply with the council's building guidelines and requirements.
The centres have been merely operating with renewable temporary permits issued by the state Education Department, he said.
'We are concerned because some of these tuition centres do not have proper fire-escape plans on their premises.
'We do not want the students to be unduly trapped should a fire break out in the building,' he said in an interview here.
Teoh said many of the centres were also unsuitably located next to massage parlours, nightclubs, snooker centres, video arcades, cybercafes and supermarkets.
'The students could be easily lured into patronising such amusement centres.
'There are students who patronise the amusement centres before and after classes, while others have been found skipping classes to hang out there without their parents' knowledge,' he said.
Teoh said the council would seek the department's cooperation to allow the council to regularly inspect the tuition centres before renewing their temporary permits.
State Education director Ibrahim Mohamad said the the department did not have an enforcement unit to check on the centres.
He said it issues five-year permanent permits to the centres after obtaining clearance from the relevant authorities.
'For permits which are pending clearance from the authorities, we will issue temporary permits which are renewed annually,' he said.