Penang: The Ministry of Education (MOE) will focus on enhancing safety measures in school sports activities to prevent tragic incidents, such as the recent death of a student during the 2025 National Full Residential School (SBP) Rugby Seven-a-Side Tournament. Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek emphasized the ministry’s commitment to ensuring medical teams are present at all school sporting events.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Fadhlina stated that students have been reminded about health considerations, and parents are encouraged to provide health information to schools. The ministry’s future focus will be on comprehensive safety measures tailored to each sport, including the mandatory presence of medical teams during matches.

The necessity of continuous safety awareness among students and coaches is also highlighted by the MOE. The recent incident involved 16-year-old Muhammad Fauzan Mohd Sulaiman from Johor, who collapsed at 10.30 am while preparing for the second half of a tournament match. The post-mortem by the Raja Permaisuri Bainun Hospital Forensic Department revealed that internal bleeding from a right hip muscle tear was the cause of death, with the case classified as a sudden death report.

Additionally, Fadhlina mentioned that the MOE is awaiting guidance from the Ministry of Health (MOH) regarding potential face mask requirements in schools, amidst rising influenza cases. Despite viral claims of mandatory face mask use in certain schools, state Youth, Sports and Health Committee chairman Daniel Gooi assured that influenza cases in Penang remain controlled.