The move was prompted by parental complaints about students spending upwards of two hours a day on bus rides.
Complaints from parents that some students were spending more than two hours a day on school buses were raised at the Federal National Council (FNC) on Tuesday, prompting the UAE Minister of Education to announce new limits on school transport journey times.
FNC member Naama Abdullah Al Sharhan told the council that, in some cases, students were remaining on school buses for two hours or more, raising concerns about their wellbeing and daily fatigue.
In response, Minister of Education Sarah Al Amiri said the maximum permitted journey time has now been set at 45 minutes for kindergarten students and 60 minutes for all other pupils. She added that the Ministry of Education has no official records indicating that any bus route exceeds two hours.
Al Amiri said compliance with the approved time limits reached 98.5 per cent during the first term of the current academic year, describing the figure as a significant improvement compared to previous years. She added that the school transport system has achieved a 50 per cent reduction in average journey times.
The minister acknowledged that limited exceptions may occur on certain days due to circumstances beyond the ministry’s control, such as traffic accidents or adverse weather conditions.
She also highlighted operational challenges affecting transport efficiency, particularly the late registration of students by parents, which she said can significantly disrupt bus route planning.
According to Al Amiri, the ministry conducts regular reviews of bus routes and has established a dedicated transport quality unit within its organisational structure to monitor daily operations and address complaints related to school transportation.
Concerns over school transport duration have increasingly featured in FNC discussions, amid broader calls to enhance service quality and safeguard student welfare across the education system.
