CHENNAI: City schools have welcomed the School Education Department's announcement to step up road safety measures for students.

Minister for School Education Thangam Thennarasu on Monday held a meeting with officials to discuss the increase in number of fatal road accidents involving schoolchildren. A State-level task force had been formed to prepare an action plan soon, he said.

School authorities in Chennai feel that the uniform colour code proposed for school vehicles would be very useful.

"People will be able to identify school vehicles easily if they are of the same colour. This will enhance safety," says Pushpam, principal, Holy Angels Convent, T. Nagar.

Schools have worked out their own ways to ensure safety. "We have three gates and an arrangement by which children coming by different modes of transport may be dropped at different gates," she adds.

At D.A.V. Boys Senior School, Gopalapuram, teachers commuting by two wheelers have been urged to wear helmets, to set an example to students. "We have been speaking to parents and students regularly, requesting them to take extra care on the roads," says C. Satish, principal.

Three school buses are operated and school authorities discuss road safety issues with drivers and conductors regularly.

At Bala Vidya Mandir, Adyar, parents have formed a committee to ensure road safety. They take turns to regulate traffic outside the school.

School transport

Many parents feel schools could invest in providing more transport. A parent of a kindergarten child going to a leading city school was appalled to find 60 children being transported in a 17-seater maxi cab.

"My son comes back home standing in the van. He is completely exhausted by then, " she says. School authorities told her they would not operate an additional van unless they had another 20 children opting for the service.

Parents have to pay Rs. 2,000 per term (Rs. 500 a month) for school transport.

Private operators

Several private operators are into the business of transporting school children.

V. Panneerselvam runs two vans and an autorickshaw in Gopalapuram. At least nine children are crammed inside his auto.

Ramesh Shankar, parent of a class two student, endorses the Government's emphasis on the role of parents in the safety campaign.

"Although our son is dropped right outside our home, we make sure there is someone to see him off and receive him," he says. Safety concerns and requests from parents prompted authorities of Sankara Senior Secondary School to engage eight private vans.

"Besides the roadworthiness of the vehicles, we also check the locks and first aid kits regularly. We know all the drivers and conductors well. Contractors will have to inform us before appointing a new driver for the service. All our students are insured," says Subala Ananthanarayanan, principal.

The school has a teacher in charge of vans who monitors the services on a daily basis.

"We do not make any profit out of this service but since parents find it convenient, we continue to provide it," she says.

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