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Maha introduces new safety measures for school going children
Maharashtra introduces new safety measures for school transport, including background checks, drug testing, and GPS tracking to protect students.
PUNE: In the wake of multiple criminal incidents involving school students, the Maharashtra government on June 6 introduced a comprehensive government resolution (GR) to strengthen school transport safety. Under the GR, the government has laid down mandatory preventive measures applicable to all schools in the state.
The school education department has made it compulsory for schools to conduct proper background checks of bus drivers and cleaners. Additionally, alcohol- and drug- testing will now be carried out twice daily; once in the morning and once in the evening to make sure that no intoxicated personnel are in charge of the school- bus or van. Unauthorised persons are now strictly prohibited from entering school buses. This provision is aimed at ensuring that only verified personnel are allowed near students.
Recognising that a large number of students travel by private vans, the government has issued directives for parents as well. Accordingly, parents must inform the school authorities about the identity and background of the private drivers, and must also verify details including records of driving and past accidents. These steps aim to ensure that private transport drivers are held to the same safety standards as those hired by schools.
Furthermore, all school buses are now required to have GPS tracking systems and CCTV cameras installed. The move is expected to improve emergency response, and maintain transparency between parents and schools.
Meghana Date, a parent, welcomed the government’s initiative regarding students’ safety. She shared, “My daughter is in class 3. Both my husband and I work so we do not have time to drop her to school. That’s why we have hired the services of a private school van. But I used to worry often after hearing news about drivers misbehaving with children. This initiative will really help prevent such incidents. It will allow parents like me to send our children to school without fear.”
