Pune schools cold to transport panels

Even as the school education and sports department has sent a new circular to implement the provisions of School Bus Rules and Regulations, 2011, in all schools across the state, education and transport officials say schools in the city haven’t paid heed to any such advice in the past.

The Pune Municipal Corporation’s (PMC) education board officials complained that despite several reminders and workshops, both private and civic-run schools did not show interest in forming transport committees.

“We had sent the circular to more than 700 schools in the city and asked them to notify us about the transport committees. While the PMC schools argued that their children come on foot and schools don’t need transport committees as they don’t have school buses, even private schools didn’t show much interest,” said assistant education officer Shubhangi Chavan.

“Though I don’t have the exact figures, only a handful of private schools notified us about the transport committees they had formed,” she added.

Arun Yeola, regional transport officer of Pune division, said schools hadn’t shown much interest in the past when the school bus transport rules were communicated. “Since this time the rules have come from the education department, maybe schools will get serious. Their argument goes that they don’t have school buses of their own and don’t need transport committees. But the circular makes it clear that transport of school students is the principal and school management’s responsibility,” he said.

Meanwhile, when DNA contacted schools across the city, a few claimed to have formed transport committees, while some said they were in the process of doing so, but none could clearly state the role of these committees.

Leena Chaudhary, principal of Symbiosis School, said a transport committee of parents and school teachers was in place, but it lacked any representation of local police or education officials. “We didn’t get any official communication of including such
officials on the committee in the past,” she said.    

“Besides, we don’t have school buses so our committee does periodic checks on private vehicles used by students. Since they aren’t contracted by us, we cannot dictate rules to them,” she added.

Jaya Venkatraman, principal of Aundh DAV School, claimed a transport committee was in place, but without local government officials.

Principal Lily Patel of Sardar Dastur High School admitted their school didn’t have a transport committee, but they were going to form it. She clarified that since school students come by private vehicles, and as the school doesn’t have its own buses, safety of children is primarily looked after by parents.