PRIME Minister Kassim Majaliwa has directed that school buses field two guardians of different gender while at work to and from school to ensure the safety of pupils if an emergency occurs.

The premier issued this requirement when responding to Nancy Nyalusi (Special Seats) during the direct questions hour who asked for government plans to protect pupils when using school buses.

She said that education sector growth and the increase in private schools has led to increased transport services in schools, posing some risks and challenges, where the government needs to have a plan to enact a law to protect school going children in such buses.

The premier referred to laws regulating road traffic including school buses which need to be adhered to, for instance the driver must be qualified to drive passenger buses and carry students. The buses must be painted yellow so that they are recognized and have writings on the side and front, he elaborated.

"We are seeing these rules being followed but we know that the schools that have female and male children, so we now direct that each time they take pupils they must have two guardians, a man and a woman on board for the safety of our children during emergencies,” he specified.

Even during holidays, the bus crew need to escort the pupils to their parents, he said, intimating that the government was conducting meetings with education sector operators to ensure the rules are followed.

The government has given the opportunity to Tanzanians to invest in the education sector, he said, expressing satisfaction that success was evident and visible.

The government was monitoring all the conditions that have been placed on buses transporting pupils for the safety of the children, with all the laws governing motor vehicles for the safety of passengers using such buses, he emphasized.