Buses are old and over-used

Sharjah: School buses used by government schools are unhygienic because they are "old and over-used", said the principal of one school in the emirate.

Only two of the five buses the school uses are air-conditioned, said the principal. An Emirati parent voiced his concern and said: "My 11-year-old daughter is suffering from the overly-crowded buses. I have complained about the transport for years."

The principal, however, said her main concern was the lack of specialist teachers at the school.

"We lack English teachers and administrative staff, and the senior students do not have sufficient computers in their classrooms or library to complete their assignments. We only have 2 computers in the library and less than 4 in each of our 18 classrooms. We also lack a restaurant and a resource room."

As for the lack of proper physical education facilities, it greatly impacts the students' health and development as it is essential for them to vent their stress, said the physical education teacher.

A student said: "We don't do anything in physical education. We just sit around."