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News Features
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By NIC DALEY Monday, 06 November 2006
PRINCIPALS agree a growing number of parents are driving their children to school, with one suggesting the government should intervene. Howick’s biggest primary school, Owairoa has recently closed its drive through and drop off zone due to chaotic traffic scenes. “It was so difficult to control we decided to close it indefinitely,” says principal Alan McIntyre. “We’re just encouraging children to walk a bit further, or parents to park down the road a bit.” Our Lady Star of the Sea School principal Ken McKay says the present system sees children who live within a 3.6km radius of the school having to pay to use the bus. Those who live further away receive subsidies, making the journey free. He says if buses were made free in urban areas as well as rural ones, it would make a big difference. “But that’s changing government policy. How do you do that?” Mr McKay says the integrated school holds a wide geographic community, with families coming from as far away as Beachlands and Maraetai. “Those that don’t bus in obviously come in cars.” Pupils at the school are also being encouraged to walk, with a walking school bus introduced this year. “We’re asking parents to drop their kids at the walking bus stops too, instead of coming right up to the school,” he says. “Things like walking school buses are one option, but if the government really looked at the situation with the buses and took the distance restrictions off, you’d find a change and parents would use buses.” Mr McKay, whose education experience extends to schools in Whangarei, south Auckland, Pukekohe and King Country, says a growing number of parents are driving children to school. “The days when you have children walking and biking to school as a norm are gone.” Part of that is to do with the safety ethic parents have, he says. Families are smaller and parents are concerned about children being accosted by strangers. Mr McIntyre also puts the increase down to safety concerns, but the school is looking to curb that. “There are lots of kids who live close here, who don’t need to be given a ride to school. “It’s better for their fitness and independence to walk.” | |||||||||
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