NCPA moots :

Special license for school vans

Vehicles to undergo quality checks :

Rasika Somarathna

The National Child Protection Authority (NCPA) is planning to issue a special license to vans transporting schoolchildren to ensure optimum protection and facilities to the children.

NCPA Chairperson Anoma Dissanayake yesterday said their own main focus is to prevent any possible abuse during transportation and to ensure that the vehicles conform to existing quality and safety standards.

“The vehicles would have to undergo quality checks and drivers would be subjected to a security and health check. They would have to obtain a police report including finger printing procedures,” she said.

“The vehicle owners would not be allowed to change drivers without prior permission from the NCPA,” Dissanayake said.

“A female adult will have to be present in the vehicle at all times when transporting girls and minors,” she added.

Police recently arrested a school van driver, who had sexually abused a three-year-old child and according to Dissanayake several such incidents had been reported in the recent past.

The NCPA sponsored awareness program for drivers recently had not met with desired results, she noted.

The NCPA chairperson added that the proposed changes would be better suited at ensuring safe transportation to school going children.

According to her, the Cabinet Sub Committee appointed to look into the matter and the NCPA hierarchy would meet during the course of the week to finalise matters.

A report in this regard is to be submitted to the Cabinet for approval.