Safety of students enroute to schools : Take the parents into confidence
- The Sangai Express Editorial :: February 25 2016 -
Packed like sardines. Over speeding. This
is the state in which kids are being ferried
to schools every day and the funny part
is no one seems bothered enough to even
raise a question.
It was this concern which
prompted the Supreme Court of India to
come out with a directive to all school
vehicles not to carry students beyond its
capacity, some years back. Good to learn
that the State Government has distributed
the directives of the Supreme Court, but
the important question is to whom ?
Have
copies of the directives been distributed
to the parents too ? Moreover how many
schools in Manipur have actually discussed
the directives with the parents and the
drivers of the school vehicles ?
With
school vans being the primary mode of
transporting the students, the focus here will be on school vans. Moreover the directives of the Supreme Court will be more
applicable to school vans, as it is young tots, that is students below a certain tandard who take this mode of transportation while the seniors take buses.
Even
here, it may be questioned how far the
school buses adhere to the directives of
the Supreme Court. More than likely that
all the schools are in the know of the
directives issued by the apex Court of the
country, but how many schools have
actually taken it upon themselves to study
whether the school vans are following the
directives or not ?
Moreover have the
directives from the Supreme Court been
discussed with the parents and guardians
of the young students ?
The Supreme Court has taken cognizance of the need to provide a ring of protection to the young tots whenever they go to school, but how about the State Government ? Has the State Government taken up any course of action to ensure that all school vans follow the directives ?
Doubtful it is for remember it is not an uncommon sight to see numerous school vans being jam packed by
students. Here it may be in order to try and understand the directive.
Some of the
important points mentioned in the directives include, to install Speed Governor in
school vehicles to ensure that the maximum speed of 40 kms per hour is adhered
to, children to sit as per seating capacity of the vehicle, the vehicle must display
name of the school and telephone numbers in bold, drivers must wear specific uniform, school vehicles must have fire
extinguishers etc.
All these requirements
are over and above the experience of the
drivers which must be at least 5 years.
All
these steps are for the safety of the
young children and no efforts should be
spared to ensure that school vans do not
flout these guidelines.
Time also right for
all school authorities to take up the matter with the parents concerned as well as the van drivers.
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