Fire at Muslim school in Myanmar: 13 dead

THIRTEEN people, including children, have been killed after a fire broke out in a Muslim school in Yangon due to a suspected electrical fault, police in Myanmar's (Burma's) main city say.

The blaze comes against a backdrop of heightened Buddhist-Muslim tensions in Myanmar following recent sectarian clashes, but police said initial indications suggested that the blaze was accidental.

"Thirteen people, mostly children, were killed during a fire at a Muslim religious school in downtown Yangon," a police officer at the scene told AFP.

"We assume that it was due to an electrical short circuit."

Firefighters extinguished the blaze, which broke out in the early hours of Tuesday morning, he said.

Police called for calm and promised to establish a committee - including Muslim leaders - to look into the cause after an angry crowd gathered at the scene demanding answers, according to an AFP reporter.

The building housed a mosque and a religious school where children were staying while taking a summer class. Local residents said the victims were believed to be orphans.

A second police officer said the 13 dead were among more than 70 people sleeping at the school when the fire broke out.

"The rest of the children were rescued," he said.

The Myanmar Police Force reported on its official Facebook page that the victims died from burns or smoke inhalation.

"According to the investigation by township police officers, the fire was caused by excessively high (electric) voltage," it added.

Safety standards are generally poor in impoverished Myanmar, which is emerging from decades of military rule.

A wave of sectarian violence that began on March 20 has left 43 people dead and mosques and homes burned in several towns in central Myanmar, prompting the government to impose emergency rule and curfews in some areas.

Yangon has been tense but mostly peaceful following the clashes, which were apparently triggered by an argument in a gold shop that triggered a riot which later spread.

The conflict poses a major challenge for Thein Sein, who has won international praise for his reform efforts since taking office two years ago.

The situation has calmed in recent days after the former general on Thursday vowed a tough response over the violence, which he blamed on "political opportunists and religious extremists".

Sectarian strife involving Buddhists and Muslims in the western state of Rakhine last year left at least 180 people dead.

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Plane crash-lands near Vic school oval

A light plane has crash-landed in a paddock near a primary school south of Ballarat. Source: AAP

A LIGHT plane has crash-landed in a paddock next to a Victorian primary school during lunchtime.

Cape Clear Primary School principal Christian Brown said some of his students saw the plane come down.

"It was a very lucky escape," Mr Brown told AAP.

"We're about 150m away from the crash site."

An ambulance officer who attended said the pilot did a good job avoiding the school.

The two men in the aircraft walked away from the crash with only minor injuries.

The plane's wing clipped a powerline, cutting power to about 60 Cape Clear properties in the small town south of Ballarat.

The pilot, a man in his 50s, and a male passenger in his 40s sustained bruises and abrasions but didn't need to go to hospital.

Ambulance Victoria group manager Graham McGrath said the powerline caught the undercarriage of the aircraft, and it came down nose-first.

"The pilot had done a really good job to make sure it was in an open paddock away from the school," he said.

Robert Butler, who owns the Cape Clear hotel, said he saw the plane hovering around, looking for somewhere to land.

"The plane they said is pretty well messed up," Mr Butler said.

"The two blokes got out with a scratch and a bruise."

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School seminar brought to you by Scientology

Staff and students were not aware that the course material used was sponsored by the Church of Scientology. Picture: Bob Barker Source: news.com.au

A similar Youth For Human Rights pamphlet, which explains the various parts of the UN Declaration of Human Rights. Source: news.com.au

• High school students, staff didn't know
• Materials sponsored by Church of Scientology
• Teachers: It should have been disclosed
• Join the conversation on Twitter: @newscomauHQ @drpiotrowski

HIGH school students completed a seminar without being informed it was sponsored by the Church of Scientology, news.com.au has learned.

At least 60 junior students at Woodridge State High School, south of Brisbane, participated in a class on December 10 about human rights featuring materials from the group, Youth For Human Rights.

Staff and students were not told the group is sponsored by the Church of Scientology.

The seminar did not include teachings from Scientology, although it did include a quote by Scientology founder, science fiction author L. Ron Hubbard.

Teachers and ethics experts have now called for greater disclosure about background information from groups coming into school grounds.

Kevin Bates, president of the Queensland Teachers’ Federation, said the lack of disclosure was concerning. "The key issue is that [their links] were unbeknown to the school," Mr Bates said.

He said the school, which has a high refugee population and often works with NGOs, should have learned an important lesson on background checking organisations.

Ethicist Dr Simon Longstaff said all organisations, whether they're religious or commercial, should disclose their backgrounds when coming into schools.

"Any organisation thinking to make a presentation within a school environment should be transparent about who they are," Dr Longstaff said, adding it was essential for staff and students to make informed decisions to consent.

Sei Broadhurst, a Church of Scientology spokeswoman, said in a statement it believed religious groups should disclose their identity before school visits.

"Youth for Human Rights however is not a religious group. Its only purpose is to promote the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which is non-religious," she said.

The Church describe Youth For Human Rights as a "separate and secular organisation" but said the Church provides funds for its materials.

Youth For Human Rights "does not promote Scientology at all", Ms Broadhurst said, adding that the L. Ron Hubbard quote in study materials only promoted human rights.

"The Church of Scientology does not conduct school visits and only does presentations of Scientology teachings in our own churches and these are always for our own members," Ms Broadhurst said.

The Church's support for Youth For Human Rights was clearly disclosed on its main website, she said.

Previously: A day in the life of a Scientologist

Kalisi Bese, the volunteer who ran the seminar, told news.com.au it did not matter who supported the seminar given the huge need for human rights education in the community.

"When I deliver the package it’s more on what human rights is all about, not who is financially endorsed by who or what not," Ms Bese told news.com.au. "It’s a tool that’s really needed."

Ms Bese said she was a Christian, not a Scientologist, and Scientology only sponsored Youth For Human Rights. She said she had given similar presentations to schools and staff in Sydney.

Not the first time

In 2009, then NSW Education Minister Verity Firth directed schools not to use Youth For Human Rights brochures and DVDs, after it was revealed they had been sent to "most schools in Australia".

"It's just a marketing exercise for Scientology," Ms Firth said at the time.

Ms Broadhurst denied the materials were not banned in NSW. They have not been submitted for approval for use by the NSW Education Department as they have their own materials.

A prominent critic of the religion, Independent Senator Nick Xenophon, said the Church of Scientology had a lot of nerve promoting human rights.

Senator Nick Xenophon has campaigned against the Church of Scientology. Scientology reject Mr Xenophon's assertions. Picture: Getty Images Source: news.com.au

"The cruel irony of this Scientology-backed group spruiking human rights is so many ex-Scientologists have told me how their human rights were abused while in Scientology," he said.

Ms Broadhurst said none of Mr Xenophon’s allegations, made under parliamentary privilege, had been substantiated. The Church had been exonerated by the Australian Federal Police, she said.

"The fact that no media outlet has called Senator Xenophon to task over his disgraceful abuse of parliamentary privilege is frankly a disgrace," Ms Broadhurst told news.com.au.

She said the Church places a "very high importance" on promoting human rights in a world "where there is too much prejudice, hate and violence".

Scientology, which is a religion under Commonwealth law, has launched an Australian media offensive this year.

Reporters and celebrities - including former rugby league star Matthew Johns - were invited behind the scenes of Scientology's Australian churches.

News.com.au was the first Australian news organisation to receive access.

news@news.com.au

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Over 2000 Vic school buildings fail: AG

ABOUT one third of Victorian public schools have buildings needing millions of dollars worth of repairs to remain safe and usable.

Acting Auditor-General Peter Frost has found 2042 buildings across 505 schools need urgent work.

He said despite $4.5 billion of investment from the federal and state governments, a further $420 million is needed to bring all school buildings up to scratch.

"Schools receive less than a third of the funding they require to maintain buildings according to industry standards," Mr Frost said.

The eastern metropolitan area needs the most funds, with more than $100 million of investment required to bring schools up to standard.

The Barwon West region needs a boost of more than $93 million, or an average of $725,000, for each government school. This is almost double the average investment required per school than any other region.

Mr Frost's report into school building programs was tabled in the state parliament on Wednesday.

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