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School hours adjusted to avoid traffic jams

The Al Ain Municipality has implemented a pilot plan to eliminate traffic congestion in areas where private schools are located.

This is being done by the Al Ain Municipality in partnership with the Abu Dhabi Urban Planning Council, Abu Dhabi Education Council (Adec) and the Transport Department.

Over 18 schools are taking part in the plan by adjusting their school timings. Schools have been divided into three groups and each group has given a specific time to start its school day. Between the school hours of each of these three groups there is a time interval, which will help lessen traffic jam during rush hours.

Abdullah Hamdan Al Amiri, acting Executive Director of Infrastructure and Assets Section at the Al Ain Municipality, mentioned that this pilot plan is part of a project which is anticipated to conclude by 2014 and that aims to improve and develop smooth flow of traffic around the school areas during rush hours. Solutions include designing and providing safe drop-off areas for students attending schools in the morning, improving traffic movement at parking zones and predefining routes for school buses, besides implementing other procedures that increase the safety of pedestrians and students.

Hamad Al Dhaheri, Executive Director of Adec’s Private Schools and Quality Assurance Sector, stressed the importance of the initiative. “Adec has worked closely with its partners to ensure that safe road measures are being implemented in those schools. This is a start of an important plan to help secure school students and staff members from hazardous road incidents such as crossing congested and crowded roads, breathing unhealthy and polluted air, noise pollution and pick-off and pick-up delays due to traffic congestion. Students need to focus on their schooling and it is our responsibility to make sure nothing else distracts them from doing that.”

Adec led an initiative through its headquarter in Abu Dhabi and its regional office in Al Ain to survey all 33 schools in the Falaj Hazza area and help identify the schools’ willingness to trial a change to their start of day late by 30 or 45 minutes. A statistical report and recommendation to the coordinating committee were produced by Adec and findings were communicated to participating school principals to convey how crucial their involvement was to the project’s success. The council was pleased to report the high level of cooperation from the schools and a strong desire by principals to help solve the traffic problem.

The four public entities have decided to commence the pilot plan effective from April 8, since that date is considered the first school day after the winter break. The pilot project lasts one month during which all participant schools commit to provide weekly reports about how effective and successful the experience has been in achieving the desired goals. The schools will educate parents about the project and its duration and conduct surveys in regards to how effective and feasible the project has been. Students and parents’ commitment to the new school hours shall be prompted and encouraged in a bid to finalise a solution that is ideal and satisfactory for all parties.

Schools taking part in the project include Gulf International Private Academy, Palestine Private School, Twaam Model Private School, Indian Private School, Universal Private School, Al Safwa Private School, Darul Huda Islamic School, Al Ain Juniors Private School, Zakher Private School, Al Adhwa Private School, Our Own English High School, Al Sanawbar Private School, Pakistan Islamic Private School, Manor Hall International school, Al Andalus Private Academy, Al Ittihad Private School, Grace Valley Indian School, Al Ittihad National Private School and Global English Private School.

The pilot plan proposes three groups of schools. The first group — whose total number of students is 9,566 — commences school day at 7.30am. The second group with a student count of 9,654 commences school day at 8am and the third group starts school day at 8.15am and includes 1,858 students. — news@khaleejtimes.com