Friday 26 / July / 2024
Muscat: All Indian school buses will now have to be equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) and closed-circuit television (CCTV) after guidelines were issued by the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) to ensure greater safety of children.
Directives
Wilson George, chairman, Board of Directors, Indian Schools in Oman, has welcomed the directives of CBSE regarding safe transportation of students.
He said Indian Schools in Oman have been taking an active interest in ensuring the safety of our children and our schools in Oman one by one and are now introducing a school monitored Safe transport system. “Five of our six schools in the city have a safe transport system and the other schools are on their way (to getting one),” he told the Times of Oman.
The guidelines also state that windows of the bus should be fitted with grills, apart from GPS and CCTV. “Each school should designate a transport manager to ensure the safety of students in school buses and at least one parent should evaluate the conduct of the driver.”
The circular also stated that parents are equally responsible for the safety of their children during school journeys. “They should note down the violations committed by the driver and immediately report to the school authorities,” it said.
It added that flouting school bus norms will now cost educational institutions dear, with CBSE issuing a stern warning that they will be disaffiliated.
According to the notification, management and the head of a CBSE-affiliated school will be held responsible for any kind of accident involving a bus.
In Oman, six out of 19 Indian schools have safe transportation system.
The Indian School Muscat, Indian School Wadi Kabir and Indian School Salalah have put a safe transport system in place in 2017.
Earlier, Indian Schools Darsait, Mabelah and Seeb were the ones to receive this facility.
“We plan to implement this in all the Indian Schools in Oman. Now, Indian Schools in Muladha and Indian School Nizwa are seriously considering introducing a safe transport system,” Wilson said.
