Nine-year-old Naya Osama spends nearly two hours commuting to school daily for a trip which is a little over 5km from her house in Al Nad, Sharjah. The Grade 4 student has to wake up at 5:50am to catch her school bus, which picks her up at 6:45am.
“Her school is 5.6km away, in the University City Road Industrial Area 6, and we pay Dh5,500 bus fee. But it is the long ride that bothers us. The bus takes nearly two hours to cover such a short distance as other children have to be picked up along the way. As a working mother, I cannot do the school runs, so the bus is my only solution,” says Naya’s mother Rehab Abdullah.
Although her school ends at 4:00 pm, Naya reaches home almost two hours later. “The bus leaves school at 4:30pm, and she reaches home around 5:30-6:00pm depending on traffic,” said the Jordanian expat.
Naya’s mother said she tells her daughter to stay awake on the bus as there have been worrying instances about children being forgotten on the bus.
“However, as she is extremely tired, she dozes off at times. She comes home exhausted and has little time to eat. She finishes her homework, and goes to bed.”
Although school buses are the only option for some families, parents said the mode of transport is not necessarily the best option.
Rehab said, “For one, the child gets very tired. They spend almost two hours on the bus with no access to the washroom, which can result in health concerns. Moreover, I am always anxious as there’s no fixed time for her to reach home.”
Similarly, Nighat Waheed’s daughter Aiza, who is in Year 8, spends up to three hours commuting to and from school for a distance of 15km.
“In the morning, Aiza’s bus arrives around 5:20am, and a few children are already there on the bus by then. School starts at 7:15am. They arrive early and have to wait a bit before the gates open. The buses must adhere to their schedules, and it takes an hour to return from Al Qusais to Sharjah.”
Nighat said her daughter often falls asleep on the bus during both her morning and afternoon commutes. “She dozes off while going to school and sometimes on the way back as well. The long commute isn’t solely due to the distance; it also takes longer because of traffic congestion and bottlenecks in certain areas. There are significant delays on Al Ittihad Road during peak hours. Having said so, I would reiterate school buses are a safer option for parents,” said the Pakistani expat in the UAE.
Nighat, who spends Dh4,000 yearly on transportation, shared that her husband wanted to drive their child to school every morning.
“However, the school refused. They said we cannot choose to only drop her off in the morning; we must opt for both pick-up and drop-off services.”
Meanwhile, doctors warn long school commutes can have adverse effects on the health of schoolchildren.
Dr Sharafeldin Ibrahim, Specialist Orthopedic Surgery, Burjeel Day Surgery Center, Al Shahama, said, “Available evidence shows that a long commute time has an adverse effect on children’s well-being. Prolonged sitting on school buses may lead to physical discomfort, including muscle stiffness, back pain, and poor posture due to cramped seating. Children may also experience fatigue and a lack of concentration in class, which can result in poor academic achievement.”
Some medics also warn urinary tract infections (UTIs) can be more likely in children who hold their bladder for prolonged periods of time, such as during long school bus rides.
Dr Ignatiius Edwin D’souza, consultant paediatrician and chair of paediatrics and neonatology at Thumbay University Hospital, said, “Extended urine retention can cause distension of the bladder and encourage the growth of bacteria, which can lead to infections. Moreover, extended sitting and restricted access to toilets can exacerbate constipation, which in turn raises the chances of UTIs. Also, children on long school bus commutes frequently experience nausea and vomiting due to motion sickness.
“Encouraging children to eat a light meal before travelling can be beneficial. Encouraging children to use the restroom before boarding the bus, both in the morning and after school, is advisable. This helps minimise the risk of urinary discomfort and ensures they are more comfortable throughout and after their commute,” added D’souza.
© Khaleej Times
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