BHOPAL: Overloaded school vans and buses violating Supreme Court guidelines have become the new normal of the day. Due to lack of coordination between departments, the safety of students has become a mere formality.
Sample this- Supreme Court Committee on Road Safety showing concern writes letter to state governments reminding them to adhere to guidelines. The state governments write letters to Road Safety Councils and concerned departments. Meetings of State Road Safety Councils are organised. They write letter to the school education department and then the school education department writes letters to all district education officers.
“A cycle of letters is completed as a formality as SC directives are involved whereas not much has changed at ground level,” commented Rakesh Malviya, an activist who keeps track of students’ safety in school buses.
Commissioner school education has issued a letter to all district education officers asking them to form a committee consisting of RTO, traffic police and school principals to ensure strict implementation of SC guidelines.
Schools have been instructed that students without a valid driving license and helmet should not be allowed entry inside schools.
The letter has reminded all district education officials to take action against the parents also who allow their minor children to drive vehicles.
“We have urged the district education officials to ensure strict implementation of student’s safety and run a yearlong campaign in all schools,” said Jaishri Kiyawat, commissioner, school education department.
No data on action against parents: Senior officials of the school education department however, declined to comment when asked about numbers of parents on whom action had been taken till date. They do not have figures on numbers of students who have been denied entry in school without helmet and driving license. ‘The data is being collected will be shared soon,’ commented an official.
