As the schools in Muscat, Oman prepare to reopen next week for the academic year 2024/2025, stricter regulations governing buses are set to be in place to ensure the safety and comfort of school students. The Ministry of Education has made transportation of students its top priority, focusing on renewing contracts, providing new and safe transportation means, and implementing training programmes for drivers and students on road safety. Khamis Al-Hadidi, Director-General of the Directorate-General of Projects and Services, stated that the Ministry has formed committees to examine current school transportation means, and has renewed contracts for over 20,000 school buses. Additionally, (800) new school transportation means have been provided to meet the increasing needs and the opening of new school buildings.
To further improve the school transportation service, the Ministry of Education has signed a contract with Karwa Cars Company and the Oman Development Bank to replace old school vehicles. A total of 5,000 school transportation vehicles will be replaced within five years, with 1,000 vehicles set to be replaced during the academic year 2024/2025. The new means of student transportation come equipped with safety and security features such as automatic guidance boards, air conditioning units, first aid boxes, automatic tracking devices, and fire extinguishers in accordance with traffic safety regulations. Drivers of these buses will undergo preventive driving courses to ensure they are aware of the latest driving and safety practices, contributing to a safe and reliable transportation environment.
During the previous academic year, the Ministry trained 400 drivers from various governorates of Oman in preventive driving courses in collaboration with the Traffic Safety Institute and the Oman Oil Development Company. The training aimed at improving the skills and competencies of drivers to enhance safety and security on the road. Additionally, the Ministry continues to implement the (VIA) program project in cooperation with Shell Oman, targeting students aged between 10-18 years old. This global road safety education program aims to introduce students to safe road behaviors, create awareness about road safety, and help students understand how to protect themselves and avoid accidents through creative road safety messages and action plans.
As part of the (VIA) program, the Ministry will conduct training sessions for teachers and supervisors in the educational directorates across the governorates in collaboration with the Royal Oman Police. These training sessions will focus on road safety education and the implementation of road safety measures in school environments. The goal is to ensure that students are educated on safe road behaviors and equipped with the knowledge and skills to protect themselves and others while on the road. With the implementation of stricter regulations governing buses and ongoing training initiatives, the Ministry of Education in Oman is committed to providing a secure and efficient school transportation service for students in the upcoming academic year and beyond.
