Inept drivers endanger pupils’ lives

Sources say only 75 drivers available for 350 buses in FDE-run institutes

ISLAMABAD:

In a concerning development, it has been revealed that the buses operated by the Federal Directorate of Education (FDE) in educational institutions are being driven by gardeners and peons due to a severe shortage of drivers.

Shockingly, there are only 75 drivers available to operate the 350 buses serving government educational institutions in Islamabad.

According to sources, the lack of adequate drivers and conductors to operate the buses in educational institutions has raised serious concerns about the safety of students.

To compensate for the shortage, the responsibility of driving these buses has been assigned to gardeners and peons, most of whom lack experience in handling heavy vehicles, they said.

Sources within the FDE said six years ago, public educational institutions had 150 buses. During the previous regime of the PML-N, an additional 250 buses were allocated to educational institutions as part of the prime minister's Education Reforms Programme. However, no arrangements were made to hire drivers and conductors for these buses, nor was a budget allocated for their maintenance and fuel expenses.

As a result, the buses could not be operated effectively. Initially, most of the buses remained parked, as only 75 drivers and 171 conductors were available to handle the workload. Later, the educational institutions managed to arrange diesel from their resources, but due to the lack of drivers and conductors, the buses were not put into operation, even after providing minimal training to the gardeners and peons.

This situation not only puts the lives of children at risk but also severely impacts the performance of educational institutions due to staff shortages.

Officials from the FDE stated that they have sent three separate summaries to the Finance Ministry, requesting the recruitment of 175 new drivers and 220 conductors. Unfortunately, no progress has been made, and the Finance Ministry has returned the summaries without any action.

During the tenure of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government, the federal cabinet approved a cost-sharing mechanism for running the buses. It was decided that the salaries of bus drivers and conductors, as well as the expenses for diesel, would be collected from the children. However, this decision created difficulties for the majority of students coming from low-income families who could not afford to pay transportation fees.

A few months ago, some educational institutions attempted to collect transport fees ranging from Rs1,500 to Rs2,200 rupees per month, warning that students who did not pay the fee would be denied transport facilities. However, the Minister for Education and Vocational Training, Rana Tanveer Hussain, abolished the fee collection, instructing institutions not to charge students for van transportation.

The federal government had previously assured the National Assembly that no such fee collection decision had been made. Nevertheless, no progress has been observed regarding the recruitment of drivers and conductors. Consequently, educational institutions are forced to operate buses with inexperienced personnel, thereby endangering the lives of innocent children.

Concerned parents are demanding the immediate recruitment of experienced drivers and conductors to ensure the safe transportation of their children. They emphasize the importance of prioritizing the safety and well-being of students.

Speaking anonymously, a responsible officer from the FDE acknowledged the severe staff shortage for operating the buses. The officer revealed that despite numerous appeals for budget allocation and hiring, the government has continuously returned the summaries. As a result, educational institutions are left with no option but to keep the buses parked.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 29^th, 2023.