Ghiyasuddin International School has introduced a school bus service for its students living in Hulhumalé.
The school's Head of Human Resources, Ahmed Naeem Umar, told Mihaaru that there are many students coming to the school from Hulhumalé. "The decision to provide bus services was taken after considering what was the safest option for the children," he said.
A total of 23 students commute to the school from neighboring Hulhumalé.
"It's very dangerous to travel on motorbikes on the bridge during the rainy season. That's why we introduced the school bus to make it easier for students to get to and from school safely," Naeem said.
Introducing the school bus services was initially discussed with state-owned Maldives Transport and Contracting Company (MTCC), which already provides bus services in the city. However, it was later handed over to a private company when MTCC could not provide the service.
He said the bus service provider and parents came to an agreement on a monthly fee for the service.
Naeem said that the schools staff will be aboard the bus during commutes. "The teachers will get off the the bus along with the students and escort them to their classes," he said.
Naeem said that the Police have also shown their full support of this service, noting that they will present when the student board and get off the bus.
The school bus was introduced at the start of the academic year in 2022, but the service was launched on Sunday, Naeem said.
The Ministry of Education also decided to introduce school buses to provide transportation to and from schools for students who travel from Hulhumalé. However, the service has not been initiated due to lack of buses.