'We are late again due to traffic'

Dubai: "Good day, madam, I am sorry, we are late again because of traffic."

This was the message received by a parent on her mobile phone yesterday at 1.44pm. The SMS was sent by her son's school bus driver.

"The school, which is located at University City in Sharjah, finishes at 1.25pm. This is not the first time that I have received such a message. It takes the school bus more than two hours to reach my home due to heavy traffic," said the parent, who lives in Ajman.

Parents, teachers, principals as well as pupils have complained about the chaotic traffic.

Gulf News had reported on Tuesday that many schools in Dubai have considered changing their school timings because of the traffic. Students said they spend four hours in traffic for six hours of lessons.

"The first three days after the school re-opened was quite traumatic for my son. He used to vomit because of exhaustion. Spending two hours on the school bus after a long day at school is not a joke for a 10-year-old," said the parent.

The mother-of-two said the situation is no better in the morning. Her sons end up arriving late to school and subsequently miss out on two lessons.

"My elder son who is 12, wakes at 5am to catch his school bus that arrives at 5.50am. The bus arrives at the school between 8.30am to 9am," she said.

Mohammad who is in grade seven and attends a school in Dubai came two hours late from school. "I am tired because of the time I am forced to spend on the school bus. Kindergarten pupils are the worst hit. They vomit and cry. The bus conductor at times loses his temper. We cannot blame him either," he said.

Rashmi Nandkeolyar, Principal, Delhi Private School, Jebel Ali said the problem has become acute after school re-opened. "One of the reasons is because of the construction work and diversions that have sprung up in and around the city."

The principal said that after Ramadan the school will reassess the situation and then come out with a solution.

"We are still coming to grips with the situation. We have about 100 pupils coming from Sharjah," said Nandkeolyar.

A teacher of a Dubai-based school said that a couple of days ago she left school at 2pm and reached Sharjah at 6.30pm. "By that time I would have reached India."

Michael Guzder, Principal, Millennium School which is located in Al Nahda said he had made parents aware of the situation. "It's a no-win situation. We are maintaining a wait and watch approach. Pupils are missing their school assembly as well as their first lesson."

"We may have to get the bus 15 minutes early. I want to do a thorough study of the issue. If we start late there is always a possibility of the buses encountering the evening rush hour. It's a no win situation."

Madhav Rao, Principal, Our Own English High School, Dubai said there should be a joint effort to ease the traffic problem by all authorities concerned. "The schools alone cannot do much," he said.

Pupils say there is no air conditioning

Pupils have also complained of lack of air conditioning in the school bus as well as a lack of water in schools.

Fatima Mohammad, a UAE national grade 9 pupil, said that she travels in a non air-conditioned school bus.

"It is like a furnace inside the bus while coming home from school. We have complained to the school authorities but so far nothing has been done to make life easier for us."

Mariam Mohammad, also a grade 9 pupil, said: "Much has been written about the matter in the media but it is of no use. We still travel in a school bus that does not have air conditioning."

Hind Al Hashemi talked about the number of pupils that travel with her in the school bus. "Some pupils have to stand and travel all the way to school. This makes it all the more suffocating inside the bus as there is no air-conditioning."

A parent said that his daughter has complained of lack of water in her school. "As a result she is not able to conduct the ablutions. We had lodged a complaint with the school but they did not do anything to correct the matter."