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.