Private schools association of Jammu and Kashmir (PSAJK) on Tuesday expressed concern over halting of school buses during plying of convoys on various roads in Kashmir.
“Practice has created a chaotic situation in educationalinstitutes. Our entire transport planand plying of school buses has been disrupted. The schools particularly onhighway and even those schools where buses have to simply cross the road haveseen their time tables going down the drain,” said G N Var chairman PSAJK.”Our classes are starting late and sometimes even we do not know when willchildren and staff reach their home.”
The association saidKashmir schools already have limited working days and wastage of time iscompounding their problems. “At times our buses have to wait for half anhour to even more than one hour. Due to traffic jams and our buses arrive hourslate after the prescribed school opening time,” said Var. “Some ofour buses have small children, who have to unnecessarily wait and suffer onroads. Our morning prayers, classes and examinations are being disrupted,” headded.
Chairman PSAJK said thegovernment should exempt school buses and ambulances from the restrictiveorders. “World over there is a norm that school buses and ambulances aregiven preference over any other traffic. In western countries even PrimeMinister and President of that nation makes way for school buses and ambulances,”said Var. “Same approach should be adopted by government in Kashmir.School buses and ambulances should be exempted from such an order. There is noharm if these vehicles ply alongside the convoy.”