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The National Union of the Teaching Profession (NUTP), one of EI’s national affiliates, has broadly welcomed the government’s announcement of additional insurance being offered to schoolchildren. However, it also called on the Government to address school-bus facilities.

The School Children Insurance Coverage Scheme covers children travelling by licensed school bus and should complement the existing insurance coverage provided by the Education Ministry and school-bus insurance coverage.

The Malaysian Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Razak, announced the insurance scheme when preparing the 2013 national budget in September 2012. The Government has allocated MYR40 million in insurance coverage for a period of two years for an estimated 1.5 million primary and secondary school students travelling by licensed school buses.

Upgrading school buses for students’ safety

“Besides offering insurance coverage for students travelling by school buses, the government should also look into improving bus facilities,” said NUTP President Hashim Adnan.

He went on to stress that “it's certainly a good move to implement the insurance scheme. For instance, if an unfortunate incident occurs to a child, the insurance coverage will at least ease the burden of the family.”

However, school buses must be upgraded to ensure students' safety, he added.

EI: Social protection essential

“EI is convinced that social protection is an essential part of economic growth and human development, that it is a major instrument in the strategies to combat poverty and inequality, and that it has a stabilising role economically and socially in times of crisis,” said EI General Secretary Fred van Leeuwen.

“We believe that education unions have an essential role to play in the promotion of social protection for children, adolescents and education personnel and, consequently, the population at large,” van Leeuwen underlined.