Hazards of school transportation

By Ananda KANNANGARA

Authorities should focus attention on school buses and vans.

A mother complains that some affluent schools in Colombo are provided with more school buses by the Sri Lanka Central Transport Board (SLCTB) for the use of a limited number of students, but many other schools in the suburban areas where large number of students using the State transport are given only few buses. Since it is an indiscrimination against students in such schools, she appeals the SLCTB to provide sufficient buses for all schools alike.

A recent survey conducted by the Education Ministry in collaboration with the SLCTB, it was revealed that majority of school children use either public or private transport to travel.

The survey also revealed that less than 20 percent of the children in the urban and rural sectors use either private school vans or their own vehicles to travel to school.

However, it is the duty of authorities to look into the welfare of school children travelling in either State or private buses or school vans.

But, unfortunately, authorities still do not pay much attention on children travelling in school buses or school vans.

If SLCTB or the School Service Association visit school premises during morning or afternoon hours, they could see how children travel in buses and vans.

Minister Kumara Welgama	Gemunu Wijeratne

Many school buses transport children on foot boards. Many of them met with tragic deaths.

Private school van drivers alone cannot be blamed for transporting children beyond the capacity while many large school buses either SLCTB or private which plys over 100 kilometres a day are packed to capacity with 15 to 20 additional children.

Their main motive is only to make profits.When contacted Transport Minister Kumara Welgama said that he would visit schools to check the travelling of school children.He said he had already received complaints that the present fleet of nearly 800 school buses which are plying on many routes is insufficient to meet the daily demand.

The Minister also reminded about the Sisudiriya school bus service, launched few years ago by SLCTB and said that under the program over 500 buses were deployed for the use of children in the North during the war.

He said he would immediately take measures to rectify the situation by adding 200 school buses and many of them will be used in the rural areas.

The Minister said that more buses will be provided to the Northern Transport Board within the next few months, so that school children will not face difficulties.President, Private Bus Operators Association, Gemunu Wijeratne said that although his Association has not deployed buses for the use of school children, he has planned to deploy buses, especially in the morning and afternoon for the benefit of school children.

He also requested other private bus associations to provide buses to transport school children.

A parent said that the Government must introduce stringent measures against school van owners for using vehicles which are not suitable for transportation.

He said bus associations are not bothered to improving the facilities in buses.

Certain buses are in a poor condition and as a result often road accidents occur.Another parent said mobile phones are operated by drivers while at the wheel risking the lives of many. He requested authorities to take stern action against drivers using mobile phones while at the wheel.

According to a recent survey conducted by the Sunday Observer on reckless driving, it was revealed that many highway accidents occur due to driving after consuming alcohol.Nihal Kasturisinghe, a Police Officer attached to a Police station in the Sabaragamuwa province said that many accidents in the city are caused due to traffic congestion.He said State lands which are located outside the city could be used to park vehicles.

Parking vehicles near schools could cause accidents.A parent cited Singapore as, an example where traffic laws are applied equally to all. A Cabinet Minister was charged for overtaking a lorry in Singapore."If road rules are applied properly in Sri lanka the number of accidents could be reduced".

Authorities should construct flyovers near schools to enable children to cross roads without hindrance.He said the speed limit of vans should be restricted to 35 to 40 kilometres a hour to avoid accidents.Giant TV screens, installed in many cities should be removed since it could lead to accidents.

A schoolboy was crushed to death after two granite boulders fell on to the van in which he was travelling at Mt. Lavinia few years ago.He said heavy vehicles plying during peak hours should be limited.