School bus crew hit by Covid-19 hope for relief

@kabeeryousef

Hundreds of school bus drivers, bus guards as well as owners who have been affected by the pandemic can heave a sigh of relief as the Majlis Ash’shura is actively considering the plight of people working in this sector.

It addressed the issue during the fifth periodic meeting of the Education and Scientific Research Committee (ESRC) for the second annual session (2019-2020) of the ninth term of the council (2019-2023) held under the chairmanship of Jamal bin Ahmed al Abri and in the presence of the committee members.

Khalid bin Hilal al Maawali, Chairman of the Majlis Ash’shura, and some members of the Council’s office met with members of the ESRC.

The committee decided to host specialists from the Ministry of Education in the wake of the statement of the Minister of Education to be

held during the session of the Council on March 21.

School bus drivers are a section of workers who have been badly affected after the pandemic broke out a year ago and subsequent closure of educational institutions.

Rajeev N S, one of the bus agents who operates a fleet of nearly 65 buses with 50 Omani drivers on his payroll, says survival of the sector is in bad shape as interest on loans mounted, let alone the unpaid salaries and perks to his staff.

“All these past months when schools and colleges remained closed, financial burden has piled up in terms of unpaid salaries (although we paid in initial months), loan arrears, and other maintenance expenses. Survival of the industry seems bleak unless some major step is initiated,” said Rajeev who also said that while banks were understanding the situation, the financiers were bit pushy.

“We received several intimations from the financiers who wanted us to return the financial aid we received but we had to convince them that Covid-19 has played a spoilsport.”

He added that non-payment of dues against the loans by some schools which have a long-term contract with the bus operators too has affected the survival.

“Many school bus operators have long-term contract with schools and they bought new buses on Hire Purchase based on the contract but non-payment of the monthly dues, despite the fact that schools collected fees from the students, has affected the bus owners and they have dues outstanding.”

The committee also reviewed the response of the Ministry of Education referred to it by the council’s office on the issue of school bus owners and school guards related to delayed payment of salaries for school bus drivers and others, and the issue of the ministerial decision issued regarding the formation of a committee to organise the work of school guards and their facilities.