MUSCAT: The tragic death of a second-grade schoolgirl, Shamma bint Yasser Al Jahwariyah, who reportedly died after being left inside a school bus in the Wilayat of Al Suwaiq last week, has sparked nationwide grief and renewed debate on student transport safety in Oman.

In the aftermath of the incident, Dr. Khamees bin Hamdan Al Ghafri, Deputy Chairman of the Education, Research and Innovation Committee at the Shura Council, called for a systemic overhaul of safety protocols, stressing that protecting children must be seen as a shared responsibility across families, schools, and transport operators.

Speaking in an interview with Al Wisal Radio, Dr. Al Ghafri said that while such incidents are not statistically frequent, they are deeply distressing and demand a fundamental review of the system.

“The responsibility begins with the family and extends to the school, the driver, the bus attendants, and social workers,” he said. “Procedures must move from formalities to effective, accountable practices.”

He urged that the process of tracking student attendance be transformed into a real-time early warning system, whereby parents receive an immediate alert if a student is absent in the first class, followed by a direct call from the school administration to verify the reason, particularly for young pupils.

Dr. Al Ghafri also proposed the adoption of simple digital solutions to ensure no child is left behind, such as electronic scanning systems to record when students board and exit the bus, automatically notifying parents. He further called for mandatory checklists and safety training for bus drivers and supervisors before and after every trip.

“We must move from reaction to prevention,” he emphasized. “Every stakeholder, from parents to policymakers, has a role in ensuring that no child’s life is lost because of negligence.”

The incident in Al Suwaiq has reignited calls for stronger oversight, technology integration, and accountability within Oman’s school transport system, as the nation mourns young Shamma and vows to ensure that such a tragedy is never repeated.