Let us make childern safe

ubai, 20 January 2011 (Khaleejtimes): THE IMPACT from the Khaleej Times 'Make your child safe' campaign has been tangible to the extent that it underscores the sense of outrage and horror that a vast swathe of people have felt.

While accepting the premise that the arrested individuals are only guilty after the judicial process finds them so, KT will refer to the three men in custody only as suspects in the interim.

However, over 17,000 people sent messages on KT Facebook and the KT website expressing their disgust and anger at the act itself with the common sentiment that anyone found guilty deserved the most punitive punishment possible.

Some of these responses came from different countries, including a full psychological report from the Director of the Child Trauma Institute in the United States elaborating the steps that need to be taken for the victim's rehabilitation.

Over 150 letters to the editor also said pretty much the same thing and expressed the anger of distraught and concerned parents of schoolgoing children who arguably number over 500,000 in the UAE.

In its ongoing campaign, Khaleej Times is now asking other schools outside the GEMS province what steps they have taken since the news of the crime broke to upgrade their surveillance and vet their staff. If GEMS could respond swiftly to the appointment of placing women on buses in order to make the little charges safer, the same should hold good for other institutions also.

The letters that made specific points are basis for further investigation and questioning.

Here is a sampling of what parents across the country feel:

"I do not completely recommend this initiative of recruiting or bringing nannies in all the school buses to ensure safety of kids. The authorities also need to take some other steps in order to ensure safety of children, e.g. I don't understand why buses have tinted glasses." - Gulfam Mustafa, RAK

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"All of us are equally concerned with the safety and security of the children. Any such incident is bad and can affect the child. But we shouldn't forget the professionals who have honestly carried out their responsibilities for several years. My kids studied at a GEMS school and say: 'I miss my bus and I miss my bus driver uncle'." - Rajeevan, Sharjah

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"All parents must check whether a female staff is present in the bus when their kid is dropped home. Parents should immediately report to the school authorities and media if seen without one. CCTV must be installed in all buses and the recordings must be monitored by school authorities on a daily basis." - SAAZ, Sharjah

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First of all I would like to congratulate to Khaleej Times for this campaign to ensure 'child safety'. This will bring awareness among other parents to what precautions should be taken for safety for their children. As a parent, I welcome this decision to replace male bus conductors with female nannies. It does offer some relief to the parents who everyday send their kids to school with a lot of trust. Including CCTV cameras that will monitor the students and bus attendants is also a great step. Thanks! -Bhoomi Zala, Dubai

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Definitely there is an urgent need to ensure child safety. It's a great campaign initiated by KT. These initiatives should be made compulsory in all the schools across UAE. -Rashmi, Sharjah

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I feel kids are not safe. I think we all should come together to protect them. The school authorities should appoint a female conductor in each bus at the earliest. Till nannies are appointed, a female teacher must be present in the bus till the last kid is dropped.

All parents must check whether some female staff is present in the bus when their kids are dropped home. Parents should immediately report to the school authorities and media if seen without one. CCTV must be installed in all buses and the recordings must be monitored by school authorities on daily basis. - SAAZ, Sharjah

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It's a great step taken by GEMS to replace male conductors with female supervisors. Other schools should follow the example. -Mohammad Abad, Dubai

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I thank KT for this campaign. I am a mother of a four-year-old boy and can feel what the parents of the child in the news might be going through. May God give the child and her family strength to overcome this trauma. And let the culprit get such a punishment so that nobody even dares to think of committing such a sin. -Hema Amin, Dubai

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I do not completely recommend this initiative of recruiting or bringing nannies in all the school buses to ensure safety of kids. The authorities also need to take some other steps in order to ensure safety of children e.g. I don't understand why buses have tinted glasses. - Gulfam Mustafa, RAK

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All of us are equally concerned with the safety and security of children. Any such incident is bad and can affect the child. But we shouldn't forget the professionals who have honestly carried out their responsibilities for several years. My kids studied at a GEMS school and say: "I miss my bus and I miss my bus driver uncle". -Rajeevan, Sharjah

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The schools should also evaluate their male staff members, today it is the bus driver, tomorrow it can be anyone. Some incidents are out in the media, some may not be. How do we feel secure about our child going to the school, all these make us uncomfortable and worried about our little ones. - BM, Dubai

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I strongly agree with the decision taken to give harsh punishment to the criminals, this will set an example to other criminals. The decision taken of recruiting women staff in the school bus is a good one... This should not be only for the GEMS schools but for all educational institutions in the UAE. - Kumar, Sharjah

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A very quick and good decision by the GEMS group! We parents hope such incidents will not recur and strict measures in place will help eliminate them. - Imran, Dubai

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As a parent I request the government of the UAE to make it compulsory that all the schools (for nationals and for expats) to have female attendants in the school buses with immediate effect.- Sukumar, Dubai

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Just like the GEMS group all the other schools should appoint female staffs to assist the kids. This should take place immediately. -J. Vasanth Kumar, Sharjah

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"I do not completely recommend this initiative of recruiting or bringing nannies in all the school buses to ensure safety of kids. The authorities also need to take some other steps in order to ensure safety of children, e.g. I don't understand why buses have tinted glasses." - Gulfam Mustafa, RAK

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"All of us are equally concerned with the safety and security of the children. Any such incident is bad and can affect the child. But we shouldn't forget the professionals who have honestly carried out their responsibilities for several years. My kids studied at a GEMS school and say: 'I miss my bus and I miss my bus driver uncle'." - Rajeevan, Sharjah

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"All parents must check whether a female staff is present in the bus when their kid is dropped home. Parents should immediately report to the school authorities and media if seen without one. CCTV must be installed in all buses and the recordings must be monitored by school authorities on a daily basis." - SAAZ, Sharjah

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