Nurul Sakinah Zainol Akmar, who has been a graduate architect for five years, said she wanted to make sure that tahfiz schools comply with building by-laws and fire safety regulations.
The offer, made through Facebook, comes in the wake of a fire that claimed 23 lives at the Darul Quran Ittifaqiyah tahfiz school in Datuk Keramat.
“A lot of tahfiz schools struggle with funding,” she said. “They often don’t have the money to hire architects and usually would go straight to contractors and tell them how many rooms, bathrooms or halls they need.
“But the contractors may not be familiar with laws pertaining to fire safety.
“I don’t mind helping out.”
Nurul said it would take her one to three weeks to draw up a building plan.
She said, however, any plans drawn up would still need to be approved by a professional architect as required by the law.
“Children should be studying and living in a safe environment,” she said. “I understand that people who run tahfiz schools have good intentions and limited funds, but we just can’t compromise on safety.”
Referring to the Uniform Building By-laws and Fire Protection Guide, she said these dictated the use of clay bricks in building construction, the installation of easily accessible fire resistant doors and the provision of tools like fire extinguishers, sprinklers and smoke detectors. She also referred to the specification of distances between doors and staircases.
Nurul advised parents sending their children to boarding schools to take an interest in fire safety.
She said they should ensure, for example, that there is a fire extinguisher in every room, that window grills can be easily opened, that there is enough walking space between beds and that there is an open area outside the buildings for pupils to evacuate to.
“Also note the road access to the buildings. If there is only one access and the road is narrow, it will be difficult for fire engines to reach the place on time.
“There should be fire hydrants close to the school.”
She also advised parents to inquire about the frequency of fire drills. Ideally, she said, a school should allow parents to participate in such drills.
Those who wish to seek Nurul’s assistance can contact her by phone (012 361 8051) or email ([email protected]).