MoBay Metro to partner with schools to tackle loitering

WESTERN BUREAU:

The Montego Bay Metro Bus Company will be partnering with the Ministry of Education and several high schools across St James in an initiative aimed at minimising the incidence of student loitering in the city’s bus park and on the streets before and after school.

Dr Shaune-Gaye Brown, general manager at Montego Bay Metro Bus Company, told The Gleaner that, daily, there are six buses that transport students to schools across the parish from as early as 7 a.m. However, instead of heading off to school on time, some students can be seen loitering, which results in them getting to school late.

“It has come to our attention, and we have also recognised it from observations in the park, that students have been loitering in the bus park and other sections of Montego Bay,” said Brown. “I want to take this opportunity to remind parents and schools that our buses are available at 7 a.m., in the bus park.”

“We want parents to know that the buses are available to take children to school in a timely manner, but that some of them are in the habit of loitering.”

Having noticed the loitering problem, Brown said that was what prompted the bus company to start partnering with several school principals and the Ministry of Education to discourage loitering. She also wants students and their parents to take advantage of their ‘fleet app’, which will allow them to track the movement of the buses. The app is available in the Google Play Store.

“As part of our commitment to serving, we have been working closely with the high schools and the Ministry of Education in recent times to ensure that our students are secure and safe. And we want to ensure the public that the Montego Bay Metro cares for our students, and their safety is our priority,” said Brown.

Loitering is negatively affecting several schools in Montego Bay as students are constantly turning up late, sometimes disturbing the flow of the teaching and learning process.

Just over a week ago, several principals and deans of discipline participated in a massive no-loitering operation at bus parks and the Montego Bay Transport Centre.

During that operation, Lavern Stewart, principal of Anchovy High School, told The Gleaner that her fellow principals and deans of discipline decided on the collective initiative in the hope of arresting the problem.

Among the principals who participated were Harry Hanson of Cambridge High School, Victor Newsome of Irwin High School, Joseph Williams from St James High School, Richard Hanson of Spot Valley High School, and Orange Ebanks of Green Pond High School, along with their deans of discipline.