Following tragedy:

NCPA focuses special attention on school vans

by Ananda KANNANGARA

The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) has focused special attention on the school van tragedy at Mt. Lavinia on Tuesday and said that if the correct guidelines issued by the NCPA on school vans had been adhered to by drivers, this type of accident would never have occurred.

The NCPA said that of the 8,000 school vans which operate in the Western Province daily, only 6,000 have been duly registered with the Authority and nearly 2,000 owners of school vans had ignored registering their vehicles.

According to statistics over 20,000 school vans operate all over the country.

NCPA chairperson Anoma Dissanayake told the Sunday Observer that most school van drivers and the owners of school vans did not comply with the rules and regulations of the Authority when transporting children.

The NCPA welcomed the directive by President Mahinda Rajapaksa to the Inspector General of Police N.K. Illangakone to submit a report to him on the school van-bus tragedy at Mt. Lavinia which resulted in several students being injured.

It was also revealed that the driver of the school van was a young and inexperienced driver.

He had a temporary driving licence at the time of the accident.

According to Mrs. Dissanayake apart from the registration of school vans with the Authority, experienced drivers should be recruited in school vans and an elderly female should accompany the children for the protection of all children, especially girls.

She said that school van drivers should refrain from speeding and overtaking other vehicles considering the precious lives of innocent children.

"The vehicle should be in perfect running condition and should not be overcrowded,".

She said it was also the duty of the school authorities to look into the discipline of children in school vans.