Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, July 1: The State’s Education Department has issued a slew of guidelines to ensure safety of school buses carrying children.
Enumerating the guidelines in a circular issued in pursuance to the directions of the Supreme Court, the Education Department has said that all the school buses should be painted yellow, ‘School Bus’ should be clearly written on the back and front of the bus, if it is a hired bus, ‘On School Duty’ should be clearly indicated, bus should have a First Aid Box, ‘Speed Governor’ of specified standard, window of the bus should be fitted with horizontal grills, the bus should always carry a fire extinguisher, school name and telephone numbers should be prominently displayed on the bus, the door of the bus should be fitted with reliable locks, there should be dedicated space for school bags under the seats.
Moreover, there must be a qualified attendant in the bus to attend to the children, no vehicle shall carry children in excess of permitted seating capacity, no child should be allowed to sit on the lap of the others, the driver should have at least 5 years experience of driving heavy vehicles, a driver who has been challaned for violation of traffic rules can’t be employed, seat belts wherever applicable must be fastened properly, there must be appropriate permit for the vehicle issued by the competent authority and any parent or guardian or teacher may also travel in the bus to ensure the safety norms.
“All the heads of Government/private educational institutions are directed to ensure that the guidelines are strictly adhered to in their respective institutions and are further warned that any laxity in compliance of the same shall invite de-recognition of the institutions as well as criminal proceedings for violation, if any,” the circular further reads.
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