Fitness Certificate Must For School Buses: Govt.

Primary education minister S Sailajanath, on Thursday, stated that the government has made fitness certificates mandatory for school buses and other private travel agency buses, to curb accidents.

Talking to media persons, Sailajanath said that the government has made fitness certificates mandatory since many schools have been violating rules and regulations repeatedly.

He said that the RTA officials had found that schools have been employing either underage drivers or overage drivers, and that they have not been renewing fitness certificates regularly.

Sailajanath also rubbished statements by school managements, that they would stop operating their services if the government did not stop seizing their buses over violation of provisions.

"The operators of school buses have totally failed to renew their licences and fitness certificates, despite schools having been opened one week ago," he pointed out.

"This clearly exposes the irresponsibility on the part of school managements, and the fact that they are deliberately playing with the lives of students at the cost of ill-fated buses," he stated.

He also admitted the fact that private schools are mushrooming in every nook and corner of the state, as the staff in government schools are failing to meet people's expectations, in addition to government schools lacking in quality teaching methods and infrastructure facilities.

However, the minister said that the government was taking all measures to improve the quality of education and infrastructure facilities in government schools.(INN)