Minister meets with authorities on students’ safety
The Minister for Education, Heritage and Arts, Rosy Akbar met with representatives from the Fiji Police Force (FPF), Fiji Bus Operators Association (FBOA) and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) early this month to ensure efforts and operations are well coordinated for the safety and welfare of all Fijian students.
Ms Akbar, said, “I thank the FBOA for being considerate and for accommodating our students during difficult times.
“I also kindly urge the FBOA to improve their service delivery in relation to timely school drop offs and pickups especially for those attending primary schools”.
Bus schedule
She said: “Younger students are at a vulnerable age and usually rely on specific timetables, any disruption to the bus schedule creates fear and uncertainty.
“I am glad to have had this dialogue with the relevant authorities as we are all committed towards enabling a safer environment for our children,” she said. The Fiji Police Force will now closely work with the FBOA to ensure students are protected when traveling in school buses. A number of cases have been reported where students are found to be seated on the edge of the window or on door steps. To ensure student safety Fiji Police Force will conduct random inspections of school buses.
“We will alert our Heads of Schools to restrict student movement during school hours and approval will only be granted if a parent and/or guardian picks the child from school.”