ISKANDAR PUTERI: The Johor government has set seven guidelines and standard operating procedures (SOPs) to ensure the safety of children when using school vans or buses.
Johor State Education and Information Committee chairman Aznan Tamin said the SOPs set in collaboration with the Johor State Education Department (JPNJ) and the Land Public Transport Agency (APAD) must be adhered to by all school bus and van operators to prevent the recent tragedy of a five-year-old school boy who died after being left behind for more than four hours trapped in a locked school van from recurring.
The SOP covers school bus or van driver management on children’s safety, psychological tests, vehicle inspection and maintenance, children’s attendance, emergency action, and cooperation of all parties involved.
According to him, the first SOP involves the management of drivers and escorts who must undergo special training on child safety, road safety and first-aid procedures.
“They also need to obtain a valid health certificate and psychological tests to ensure mental and physical readiness. School vans carrying more than 10 children must have an escort who is responsible for ensuring all children are in the van and ensuring their safety throughout the journey,“ he said at the Johor State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting in Kota Iskandar here today.
He said this when answering a question from Wong Bor Yang (PH-Senai) regarding the guidelines or SOP set by the state following the incident of a school child dying when accidentally locked in a school van.
He said the second SOP involved vehicle licence, inspections and maintenance where licensed operators must provide services from the starting point of the journey to the agreed destination with the same vehicle and the school van or bus must undergo periodic inspections and must ensure that all safety equipment such as seat belts were functioning properly for use.
“Thirdly, in terms of monitoring the safety of children, they must ensure that students who get on and off their vehicles are in a safe, secured position before the vehicle moves.
Aznan (BN-Tanjung Surat) said under the fourth SOP, records of children’s attendance must be made when getting on and off the van and licensed operators must notify parents, guardians or the school in the event of a cancellation or change in student pick-up time no later than one hour before the cancellation or change.
Aznan, who is also Tanjung Surat assemblyman, said for the fifth SOP, in the event of an emergency such as a case of being left behind in the van, the school, van operators and parents must have clear procedure to take immediate action including contacting local authorities and emergency teams as well as notifying parents and guardians.
“Every safety incident that occurs in a school van must be reported immediately to the relevant authorities, such as the Road Transport Department (JPJ) and the Johor State Education Department and the District Education Office.
The sixth SOP, he said, was that school van drivers and escorts must undergo training on road safety and first-aid and that schools, parents and guardians must be briefed on their responsibilities when using school van services.
“And lastly, it involves shared responsibility where cooperation between schools, parents and school van operators is necessary and all parties must be aware of the risks and take precautions to avoid mishaps,“ he said.
In late April, media reported that a five-year-old school boy died after he was left behind in a locked school van for nearly five hours, earlier this month.
