Africka Stephens | Tragic politicisation of rural student safety

The Transport Minister Daryl Vaz recently announced that 25 new school buses arrived in Jamaica on June 24, with another 36 expected from New York the following week. This development should be welcomed across all sides of the political aisle as an urgently needed investment in the safety and dignity of our students. Instead, it has become yet another pawn in a political chess match, with some dismissing or undermining the initiative based on party lines.

Meanwhile, children continue to navigate treacherous commutes across the island, particularly in rural communities, where structured transportation is often non-existent. The tragic death of Anisa Dilworth, a University of Technology student allegedly killed by an inDrive driver, underscores how unsafe and unregulated our transportation options have become. Against this backdrop, the Rural Bus System equipped with on board wardens, cameras, and a $50 fare should be embraced, not politicised.

PROMISE OR A PROP?

Yes, we are in a highly charged political atmosphere. Scepticism is natural. Many Jamaicans have seen buses delivered with fanfare only to be left idling in depots. But the central question remains: Where do our children stand when the dust settles?

Certainly not with the taxi drivers who unapologetically refuse schoolchildren with their familiar “No schoolaz” chant. And definitely not with the parents, many of whom must stretch every dollar to get multiple children to and from school daily. As someone from rural Jamaica, I have seen children waiting on desolate roads for taxis that may never come, often walking miles to school or crammed into overloaded, unsafe vehicles.

This is not just inconvenient – it is dangerous.

UNSAFE ROADS, UNSAFE FUTURES

According to UNICEF Jamaica, road-traffic injuries are one of the leading causes of death for children ages 5–14. Over 80 per cent of children rely on walking or informal transport to get to school, placing them in daily contact with unsafe road conditions, reckless driving, and exposure to physical and emotional risks.

The National Road Safety Council (NRSC) reported that more than 60 children were injured in road incidents in 2023, with 11 fatalities. These are not just statistics. They are stories of real children who never made it to the classroom, who never returned home. Every time the rollout of a school bus is delayed or politicised, these numbers grow.

MATTER OF RIGHTS, NOT RHETORIC

Jamaica is a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). Article 3 requires that “the best interests of the child shall be a primary consideration in all actions concerning children”. Article 19 further compels states to protect children from “all forms of physical or mental violence, injury, or abuse”.

When a child’s daily commute places them at risk of injury or death, the state is not fulfilling its duty. The solution is not to debate which party gets the credit, but to prioritise implementation, oversight, and continuity.

RURAL REALITY

While urban areas may benefit from some JUTC coverage, many parishes, including Clarendon, Portland, St Mary, and Westmoreland, are left behind. In these areas, school bus access is not a luxury; it is a lifeline.

Too often, rural students are left out of educational policy and planning. When they are, the consequences are evident: lower attendance rates, higher dropout rates, and increased exposure to exploitation and danger.

The “No Schoolaz” culture that persists among many private transport operators stems from understandable concerns around revenue loss, insurance gaps, and liability risks. But these cannot be solved by leaving students to fend for themselves. A structured, government-supported system is essential. A national school bus programme with trained wardens, camera monitoring, and standardised routes is not a grand gesture but rather the bare minimum.

WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN NOW

This is a moment for action, not antagonism. To support the rollout of a safe rural transport network, the following steps are essential:

1. Expand the current bus system into high-risk rural corridors before the start of the new school term.

2. Educate parents, students, and communities about routes, boarding procedures, and safety expectations.

3. Train wardens and drivers in child safeguarding, first aid, and emergency response.

4. Provide clear protocols for reporting abuse, harassment, or operational issues, including an anonymous reporting channel.

5. Commit to cross-party continuity. The safety of children must never depend on election outcomes.

MORE THAN POLITICS

When we politicise student transport, we send the message that children’s safety is negotiable. But this is not about winning votes. It should be, and quite frankly, the sole basis of such an initiative safeguarding our children while they commute to schools. The rollout of 61 school buses must go beyond ribbon cuttings. It should signal a shift from short-term fixes to lasting systems, from party-first to people-first. When a child boards a safe, affordable school bus, they are not just heading to class. They are heading towards a future we all say we believe in.

Let’s not delay that journey any longer.

Africka Stephens is the executive founder of the Fi We Children Foundation, a child rights NGO focused on social justice. She is also an attorney-in-waiting. Send feedback to astephens@fiwechildren.org and columns@gleanerjm.com