‘All school buses must have male, female attendants’

DEPUTY Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Mr Omar Kipanga has issued directives for all school managements to ensure that all their buses have a male and a female attendant.

The move is aimed at taming gender and sexual violence incidents among students in the buses.

He gave the remarks in the National Assembly on Wednesday, when responding to Ms Najma Giga (Special Seats-CCM) question on plans to ensure school buses have both gender drivers and conductors for the safety of children.

The move, she said, would check sexual violence incidents which have been reported recently thus keep the children safe and protected.

Education circular No 1 of 2023 directed all school owners with schools buses service to ensure that they have male and female attendants throughout their way to and from school.

Alongside the directive, the deputy minister said they also met with education stakeholders to discuss on the best way to implement the instructions without affecting logistic issues.

Mr Kipanga said during the stakeholders meeting, they agreed on the directive implementation waving away the deadline for smooth transition.

To curb the sexual violence, the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology abolished boarding school for nursery up to Standard Four pupils, effective from March 1, this year, to allow children to bond with their families and enjoy parental care.

However, a special permit will be granted by the Commissioner for Education upon receiving an application for offering the services.

Ministry’s Commissioner for Education, Dr Lyabwene Mtahabwa issued the directives via the Education Circular No 1 and 2 of 2023 on Boarding Services for pupils from nursery and primary schools.

The ministry warned that schools caught going against the circular are subject to face legal measures or annulment of their licences.

The circular aims to implement the guideline for the establishment and registration of schools issued by the ministry in November 2020, requiring all schools offering boarding services for unpermitted classes to stop by the end of the first semester of 2023.

According to Dr Mtahabwa, the ministry has discovered that some schools have been receiving very young children from nursery level to Standard Four.

“Boarding services for young children comprising nursery to Standard Four is depriving them a chance to bond with their families and society, build values and take part in the various development activities in society,” said Dr Mtahabwa.

He said studies show the long-term effects of taking children to boarding schools at very tender age may lead them to lack affection for their parents or guardians, thereby, failing to take their places in the families and society.

Expounding further, he said children’s upbringing was to a large extent dependent on their families, particularly parents and their guardians.

Besides, schools have been encouraged to bring on board concrete learning and teaching strategies taking into account academic calendars regularly issued by the Commissioner to boost performance.