The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and the provincial traffic authorities have established a forum to ensure that buses used to transport learners meet the highest possible safety standards.

Officials from the education and traffic departments met today (Wednesday, 28 November 2001) to discuss details on how to monitor standards for bus safety most effectively.

The WCED invests about R65-million a year in a major Learner Transport Scheme to provide transport for learners in disadvantaged communities who live more than five kilometers from their nearest school.

Of this investment, about R50-million is spent on transport in rural areas and about R15-million in urban areas. In terms of the WCED's new plan for rural schools, transport will be provided to children who live more than three kilometres from their schools in rural areas next year.

The WCED has signed about 410 agreements with contractors who transport about 70 000 learners daily throughout the Western Cape.

The department signs contracts with transport suppliers who have satisfied tender requirements. In terms of the contracts, transport suppliers must ensure that buses used to transport learners meet the requirements of traffic laws and regulations.

Contractors must also obtain the necessary permits and insurance cover needed for transporting learners.

The safety of learners being transported is a top priority for the WCED. For this reason, the department has established a forum with the Provincial Traffic Department to ensure safe and well-organised transport for learners in the Western Cape.

As a result, all buses used by contractors to transport learners will be inspected regularly at traffic inspection centres, and at roadblocks as a matter of course.

The move towards more rigorous bus inspection procedures forms part of a process of overhauling the whole learner transport scheme. Over the past few months, the department has completely revised administrative procedures of the scheme to prevent opportunities for irregularities.