The UAE Minister of Education has announced new limits on school bus journey times following concerns raised about students spending long hours commuting to and from school.
During a Federal National Council (FNC) session on Tuesday, member Naama Abdullah Al Sharhan highlighted complaints from parents stating that some students were spending more than two hours daily on school buses, causing fatigue and affecting student wellbeing.
In response, Minister of Education Sarah Al Amiri confirmed that new regulations now cap bus travel time at 45 minutes for kindergarten students and 60 minutes for all other students.
The minister stated that the Ministry of Education has no official records showing any bus routes exceeding two hours. She also revealed that compliance with approved travel limits reached 98.5 per cent during the first term of the current academic year, marking a strong improvement compared to previous years.
According to the ministry, average school bus journey times have been reduced by nearly 50 per cent through recent transport system improvements.
However, Al Amiri noted that occasional delays may occur due to unavoidable factors such as traffic accidents or adverse weather conditions.
She also pointed out operational challenges, including late student registrations by parents, which can disrupt route planning and impact transport efficiency.
To further improve services, the ministry conducts regular route evaluations and has established a dedicated transport quality unit to monitor operations and respond to transport-related complaints.
Concerns regarding school transport duration continue to be discussed within the FNC as authorities aim to enhance service quality while ensuring student safety and wellbeing across the UAE education system.
