Exclusive buses for school children long over due

Authorities AT the City of Kigali say they plan to introduce buses exclusively for school children who commute daily to school from homes. This is a development that has been long over due, considering the difficulties children, some of them as young as kindergarten-going age, go through to reach school in the morning and return home when classes end.It is unfair for school children to struggle for a bus with adults during the rush morning hours; and again in the evening. And when they can’t fight their way inside the bus, some have been forced to walk and in the process lose time and getting stressed along the way.By the time a student who has walked several kilometres to school enters class, they are already too tired and irritable to concentrate on learning. Even where ordinary public transport is available, often the bus stops are a distance from schools.During the rain season, it is possible for a student to be soaked by the rain while walking from the bus stop to school or simply be forced to take shelter and wait for the rain to stop. Of course those with private means who may have reached school earlier would continue with lessons or even exams—hence disadvantaging the less privileged children.The new initiative to have buses pick up children from their neigbourhoods to school and drop then off after school is therefore a positive move that will remove obstacles to smooth learning by our children. With buses specifically for them, children too will be able to reach home early after school, rest and prepare for another school day.School owners, traffic police, parents and other stakeholders should support this initiative at any cost.

Opinions

Exclusive buses for school children long over due