Initiative to improve road safety at schools kicks off
KOTA KINABALU: In a move to improve safety in school areas, the Sabah Road Safety Department (JKJR) initiated its pioneer project, the School Road Traffic Patrol programme (Program Peronda Lalulintas Sekolah) at SM Shan Tao yesterday.
The department's director, Josliw Matjumping, said the department's initiative was taken in view of increasing road accidents involving pedestrians, specifically schoolchildren.
“As many as 70 percent of traffic deaths involving pedestrians were school students. We hope that with this programme, we are able to improve road safety, especially in school areas,” he said.
Josliw said a total of 16 schools in Sabah have been identified as high-risk schools and the programme will focus on with safety talks and field work.
“Before it becomes more serious, it's better that we take a National Blue Ocean Strategy (NBOS) approach in overcoming the problem.
“JKJR can only help in terms of providing guidance, but lower level management depends on schools, safety control companies and security guards," he said while urging all parties to play their respective roles.
Josliw also said the road traffic patrol programme is not meant to license school security guards, but rather to provide them with basic knowledge and equipment to perform their duties.
Participating schools in yesterday's programme also received standard traffic safety equipment such as traffic signs and apparel.
Earlier, SM Shan Tao principal Lee Li Peng said traffic congestion after school hours is a serious problem, as it increases the risk of accidents.
That is why SM Shan Tao had volunteered to host the pioneer project as safety is the school's utmost priority to ensure students arrive at and leave the compound unharmed, she said.
She said that aside from the road traffic safety programme, ongoing discussions with the school's parent teacher association (PTA) will take place to overcome the problem of congestion.