Student safety first: Abu Dhabi puts full responsibility on schools

The Abu Dhabi Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) has announced that schools in the Emirate must provide school transport services for all students, either directly or through appointed external operators. Schools are also responsible for supporting students with additional educational needs to ensure they can benefit from school bus services. In cases where school transport is not possible, schools must request an exemption from the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC).

ADEK published a School Transport Policy Guide, outlining the safety requirements for all school transport operators and personnel, according to the Executive Regulations governing school transport services in Abu Dhabi and the Abu Dhabi Guidelines for Regulating School Bus Traffic. The guide emphasizes that schools bear full responsibility for the safety of students and individuals on board school buses throughout their journey, even if the transport services are outsourced to third-party operators.

The Integrated Transport Centre (ITC), Abu Dhabi Mobility, the authority responsible for regulating transport in Abu Dhabi, confirmed that the Executive Regulations specify 56 types of violations related to school buses. Penalties for these violations range from a written warning to fines starting at Dh100 for a first offense, with potential fines rising to Dh200,000 for repeated violations. Violators are given five working days to rectify the violation, failing which the penalty will be applied again.

Nine violations are specifically related to schools, including failing to provide a sufficient number of buses, appointing a school transport officer, providing a bus supervisor for every bus carrying students under the age of 11, conducting bus maintenance work on school premises, designating a person to receive students returned to school, exceeding maximum school transport fees without ADEK approval, failing to maintain a risk and bus safety plan, addressing complaints from parents, the public, or the department, and contracting an unlicensed operator. For each violation, the fine doubles for a second offense.

Operators are responsible for 24 violations, such as operating a school transport service without a department permit, operating a school bus without registration in the emirate, operating a bus for school transport without the department's permit, employing a driver without a permit, failing to designate pick-up and drop-off points, and failing to ensure first-aid equipment and fire extinguishers are available.

Bus drivers face 12 violations, including conducting daily inspections of the bus, maintaining inspection checklists, and reporting defects. Bus supervisors have 11 violations, such as failing to ensure student safety during the journey and maintaining free aisles, exits, and entrances.