Oman tragedy: Grade 2 student dies after being left on school bus

Dubai: A second-grade schoolgirl, Shamma bint Yasser Al Jahwariyah, has died after reportedly being left inside a school bus in the Wilayat of Al Suwaiq, prompting nationwide grief and growing calls for reform of Oman’s student transport safety system, Arabia Stories reported.

The tragedy has shaken the country, with Dr. Khamees bin Hamdan Al Ghafri, Deputy Chairman of the Education, Research and Innovation Committee at the Shura Council, calling for a comprehensive overhaul of safety protocols.

Speaking to Al Wisal Radio, Dr. Al Ghafri described the case as a “painful and unacceptable incident” that exposes systemic gaps in student transportation and monitoring. “The responsibility begins with the family and extends to the school, the driver, the bus attendants, and social workers,” he said. “Procedures must move from formalities to effective, accountable practices.”

He urged the creation of a real-time early warning system that alerts parents when a child is absent from their first class, followed by a direct call from the school to verify the reason—particularly for younger students.

Dr. Al Ghafri also proposed introducing digital attendance tracking systems that scan students as they board and leave the bus, automatically notifying parents to prevent children from being forgotten.

He further called for mandatory safety checklists and training for bus drivers and supervisors before and after every trip. “We must move from reaction to prevention,” he stressed. “Every stakeholder, from parents to policymakers, has a role in ensuring that no child’s life is lost due to negligence.”