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29 March 2024

Safety with Emirates24|7: UAE school-bus safety

Published
By Sneha May Francis

Parents of school-going kids have expressed concern over their children's safety while using school transport.
 
Issuing ID cards for parents and guardians during drop-offs and pick-ups, training bus attendants to carry out regular checks to ensure no kid is left behind, placing a fully equipped first-aid kit, ensuring all kids buckle up, and creating awareness over safety procedures in times of emergency, are some of the pointers suggested by parents.
 
Since most school buses are operated by private companies, parents claimed schools must first check the track record of the company before hiring their services.
 
A simple oversight could impact their child’s safety, they highlighted.
 
"When we send our child on school buses, their safety becomes the school's responsibility," pointed out Kumar, whose children use school transport.
 
"In my child's school the class teacher will send me an SMS if my child doesn't attend class, and if I haven't informed her about her absence before-hand. This is a great practice."
 
Some buses in Dubai also have a swipe-in system, when each child is given a card that they swipe as they board the bus. "This is a great practice as it helps tracks the child's entry and exist, and the drivers and attendants can keep a tab on them," informed another parent.
 
Issuing an ID at collection points also helps erase possible safety threats.
 
“Bus attendants must insist on the ID when a child is being picked up,” insisted a parent.
 
Meenakshi’s four-year-old son goes to a school in Al Twar, and uses the school bus transport. “Although we don’t have an ID system in place, the bus attendant recognises me and my husband. But, it’s not ideal. Anything could happen. Are we waiting for something untoward to happen to make ID cards mandatory?”
 
Dubai's Roads and Transport Authority’s (RTA) and Abu Dhabi Emirate School Transport lists out a set of guidelines for school bus operators, highlighting numerous safety steps.
 
Appointing qualified drivers and attendants, training escorts in safety procedures and student evacuation in times of emergencies, and designated pick-up and drop-off points close to a child's residence are some of the points highlighted in both manuals.
 
"The guidelines are in place, but it is up to the schools to ensure they are practiced. Just like the school inspections, the education regulatory boards must inspect these regularly," observed a parent.