Private schools directed to ensure bus service in Punjab

LAHORE: The Punjab government took an important decision regarding private schools, that would also help ease the hardships of students’ parents, ARY News reported on Thursday.

Punjab government has directed all the private schools to purchase transport to provide students pick and drop from home to school.

School Education Secretary, Khalid Nazeer Watto, has given all the big school chains a deadline of January 13 to purchase their buses, otherwise, action will be taken against them.

According to the Ministry of Education Punjab, all the students will be provided pick-and-drop once the schools reopen after the winter vacation is over, and the authorities will not compromise on this issue.

Read more: LHC issues new order for schools amid smog

On the other hand, the private school associations are expressing their reservations about the decision.

A few days earlier, the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered that all schools must re-register within one month, emphasizing that any school failing to comply with the school bus policy will have its registration suspended.

The orders were passed by LHC Justice Shahid Karim while hearing petitions regarding the smog issues and steps to address it.

The LHC also directed the Director-General of Lahore Development Authority (LDA) to review the city’s roads and present a traffic plan to address congestion, particularly in light of the smog issue.

Justice Shahid Karim acknowledged the government’s efforts to tackle smog but stressed the importance of effective enforcement. He stated, “The matter of environmental protection is extremely serious, and further delay should not be allowed.”

During the proceedings, Secretary of School Education Khalid Nazeer presented proposed rules for private schools. Under the new policy, schools will only be allowed to register if they operate buses, and all new schools will be required to provide transportation to their students.

Justice Karim remarked, “The issue of school buses is very serious,” and emphasized the urgency of implementing all the directives before the next season.