The National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) has issued a safety checklist for all school administrators as schools are set to reopen for the third term.
In a notice, the authority urged school managers and owners to adhere to a strict set of rules to ensure the safety of children travelling to and from school.
Among the items in the checklist, the administrators need to ensure that their institutions only use vehicles that are in good condition to transport schoolchildren and that they only hire qualified drivers.
Managers were also urged to supervise and monitor their drivers' conduct and ensure that all vehicles used to transport schoolchildren are equipped with seatbelts.
The NTSA also directed the schools to make sure that speed limiters are mounted on the vehicles and that they are working properly.
To prevent accidents, the authority reminded schools to ensure that drivers and conductors do not report for duty under the influence of alcohol. The authority also reminded administrators to ensure that buses only use certified routes when transporting learners.
Random Checks on School Vehicles
This directive came a few days after the authority's random checks on school vehicles, conducted on August 15, revealed numerous safety issues.
According to the NTSA, these problems could potentially compromise the safety of students as they return to school.
The authority found that some vehicles lacked working speed limiters, while others had broken or expired ones. In some cases, the devices were not even sending data to the NTSA's road safety system.
Inspectors also discovered vehicles with poor interiors, including torn seats, shaky cushions, broken door locks, and missing or faulty seat belts. The authority's report also noted other issues, such as poor seat anchoring, a lack of anti-roll bars, and missing identification plates.
On the exterior, some vehicles had rusted chassis, damaged bodies, and worn-out mechanical parts, including faulty steering and suspension.
In a broader statement, the NTSA also flagged over 315,000 public service and commercial vehicles operating without valid inspection certificates.
“All the owners have been notified to undertake immediate remedial measures,” the NTSA stated.
