What Abu Dhabi parents must know about the 2025 School Transport Policy: No solo travel for kids under 15 | World News

Children under 15 must be accompanied by an grownup or approved individual when touring to and from faculty, per ADEK/ Representative Image

As colleges reopen in Abu Dhabi for the 2025–26 tutorial 12 months, a significant replace in scholar transport coverage by the Department of Education and Knowledge (ADEK) is taking impact, and each mum or dad must be ready. From who can choose up your baby, to whether or not they can journey a scooter to highschool, these new guidelines are detailed, safety-focused, and carry clear obligations for households. Here’s a breakdown of every little thing you must know as the faculty run begins.

One of the most vital updates impacts older college students. Starting this tutorial 12 months, college students in Cycle 3 (Grades 9–12, ages 14–18) are allowed to commute independently to and from faculty with out utilizing faculty transport. This contains the use of bicycles, scooters, or different private transport — so long as sure situations are met. However, parents must signal an in depth consent type that confirms:

If a faculty does enable the use of private automobiles like bikes or scooters on its premises, it must present devoted infrastructure, together with tracks and parking areas. Schools additionally retain the proper to manage how and the place these are used inside the campus. Important: The faculty isn’t liable for any incidents that happen whereas the scholar is commuting independently — this accountability falls to the parents.

For college students under 15, unbiased travel isn’t allowed. These college students must be picked up and dropped off by an grownup, both a mum or dad or a parent-appointed guardian. If no grownup is current at the drop-off level, the baby will probably be taken again to highschool in any case different college students are dropped off. However, there’s some flexibility when you have older youngsters:

This system ensures that youthful youngsters are by no means left unsupervised throughout transit, whereas giving households a sensible possibility when an grownup isn’t obtainable for pick-up.

School bus use – guidelines, staffing, charges, and timings

School buses are strictly reserved for scholar transportation. However, for discipline journeys, vacationer buses could also be used, so long as they meet technical and security requirements like:

The most allowable time for a faculty bus journey is 60 minutes — from the first pick-up level to the final drop-off. Students can solely be picked up and dropped off at pre-designated areas. For college students under 11, a bus supervisor must be certain that a mum or dad or appointed guardian is current at the drop-off level. If nobody is obtainable, the scholar will probably be returned to highschool.

Each bus carrying college students under age 11 must have a registered supervisor, along with a driver. Both the driver and supervisor must maintain ITC permits.

Bus transport charges are regulated and must align with the ITC School Bus Fee Framework. Operators suggest the charge, which must be authorised by ADEK. Any distinctive will increase require prior coordination with ITC.

To assist parents keep knowledgeable and reassured, colleges will use Salama — a faculty transport monitoring utility developed by the Integrated Transport Centre (ITC) of Abu Dhabi. This app is designed to boost faculty bus security by providing parents full visibility into their baby’s every day commute. Through Salama, parents can:

The bus supervisor must preserve common communication with each parents and the faculty, and is accountable for:

Every faculty must appoint a School Transport Coordinator, whose contact info must be shared with parents and bus operators. This individual is the primary contact for any concern that goes past the bus supervisor’s duties, together with:

Schools are required to implement visitors management plans for protected pick-up and drop-off:

Final notes for parents

The up to date faculty transport coverage by ADEK isn’t just a algorithm, it’s a framework to make sure each baby’s journey to and from faculty is protected, structured, and well-supervised. Whether your baby is taking the faculty bus, using a scooter, or getting picked up by an older sibling, there are clear expectations and shared obligations between colleges, parents, and college students. To keep compliant, and guarantee your baby’s security, ensure that to: