COIMBATORE: To ensure the safety of students, the district School Education Department instructed private schools to maintain a compulsory school transport register and note down the complaints filed by parents regarding school bus deficiencies.
Recently, the District Educational Officer for private schools, Punitha Anthonyammal issued necessary instructions regarding the safety of students on school transportation.
Punitha Anthonyammal told TNIE that, importantly, all private schools in Coimbatore must maintain the transport register on school premises so that parents can register complaints regarding transportation deficiencies, suggestions, etc.
She added, “As per norms, schools must appoint female assistants to accompany students in the school buses for pickup and drop-off. In particular, children should be boarded into the bus as per seat capacity and students should not be allowed to travel standing in the bus. Schools must also maintain the fitness certificates of drivers.”
“Some private schools in the district do not adhere to school bus safety norms. For instance, operating buses with excessive number of students, driving at excessive speeds, and employing male assistants on buses. This is a violation and this is against the safety of children. Even parents are unable to complain about this directly. Considering this, schools should maintain a register compulsorily so that parents can write about the deficiencies in the register and principals can take steps regarding it,” she further said.
She also said that she would conduct inspections and if schools fail to do it, departmental action would be suggested to the Directorate of Matriculation Schools. Tamil Nadu All Private Schools Welfare Association state president Mayadevi Shankar who welcomed this move told TNIE that this initiative would ensure the safety of students.