Pick and drop: In Pindi, promise of school buses seems forgotten

Shahbaz Sharif said, all schools in Punjab will get transport facilities.

RAWALPINDI:

Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif promised to equip all educational institutions in the province with modern transport facilities, but the promise has yet to be fulfilled.

Students at many public sector schools and colleges are not provided with pick and drop facilities and a sizable number end up putting their lives at risk by travelling on the roof of buses.

“CM Sharif promised to provide transport facility to all institutions, but in this country, promises and laws are made to be broken,” said Rana Liaquat, Punjab Teachers Union general secretary.

Talking to The Express Tribune, Liaquat said the absence of transport facility causes leads to absenteeism among students in urban and rural areas.

“The fund meant for such facilities are diverted to laptop and lighting schemes,” he said, adding that the reason behind high attendance at private schools is the availability of transport facilities, which parents pay heavy fees for.

Most students in government schools are from poor families and their parents cannot afford to hire private transport.

Muhammad Akram, a daily wager and a father, says he hardly earns Rs400 to 500 daily, it is impossible to pay Rs2,000 for pick-and-drop facility of his two children.

“The government is getting funds from foreign donor agencies to improve conditions in government educational institutions, but we don’t know where the funds are spent,” commented Muhammad Sagheer Gujjar, a teacher.

Apart from schools, government colleges also lack transport facilities.

Though the students are paying nominal transport fees along with admission fees, no transport facility is actually provided. Due to this, clashes between students and transporters over half fare and over loading are commonplace.

As students pay half fare, transporters often avoid stopping for them or picking them up at bus stops.

“When they don’t stop, we block the road. This is the only tactic which works,” said Abdur Rahman, a college student.

The clashes also lead to scuffles which waste students’ time and also affect their learning. “Our students pass through cultural shocks every day. We teach them about values and norms, but when they go out, they face a complete alien environment,” said Professor Liaquat Hussain Abbasi, general secretary of Punjab Professors and Lecturer Association.

He asked if a student spent two or three hours travelling in over-crowded public transport, how could he concentrate on lectures in the classroom.

Transporters have their own version. They say the transport has been shifted from buses to mini coaches. “We have limited seats and cannot afford to accommodate more than two students on half fare,” said Muhammad Sajid, a transporter.

Colleges Director Humayun Iqbal said the Punjab government recently purchased over 100 buses, eight recently were given to girls colleges in Rawalpindi.

He said government is working on scheme to provide buses to almost all colleges and even to schools to facilitate the students.

“We are working on SOPs for how to utilise the facility properly. The problem will be sorted out soon,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 18^th, 2014.