School timings to remain unchanged in Bengaluru

A meeting convened on Monday to discuss revising school timings in Bengaluru ended up nobody wanting any changes.

The stakeholders present at the meeting “unanimously” rejected the proposal to tweak school timings.

The meeting was held by the Department of School Education & Literacy to discuss directions given by the Karnataka High Court on revising school timings in Bengaluru Urban district. The stakeholders included school managements, parents’ organisations, traffic police, officials from transport, BMTC and teachers’ associations. 

Principal Secretary (School Education & Literacy) Ritesh Kumar Singh said the outcome of the meeting will be presented to the court on Tuesday. 

“Most of the stakeholders were against the proposal to change the current timings. It was opined that the hotspots identified by the traffic police can be regulated locally instead of changing timings,” Singh explained.

Joint Commissioner of Police (Traffic) MN Anucheth was present at the meeting. The traffic blackspots identified by the police are Hebbal, Sarjapur, Adugodi, Bannerghatta Road and Central Business District.

“Bus pooling was another suggestion that was made. Some stakeholders suggested that the BMTC should run buses dedicated to 5-6 schools together during morning and evening hours ferrying only schoolchildren and teachers,” Singh said.

Deployment of traffic wardens was also suggested. “In western countries, once a week, parents manage traffic near schools by acting as wardens. Parents’ representatives welcomed this idea,” Singh said.

At present, government schools start around 9:30 am whereas private schools start at 8 am or between 8:30 am and 8:45 am.

Speaking after the meeting, Associated Managements of Primary and Secondary Schools in Karnataka general secretary D Shashi Kumar said, “Instead of giving solutions to traffic issues, changing school timings will burden parents, students and teachers. Blaming only schools for traffic chaos is not acceptable.”