‘Negligence led to my little girl’s death’

When five-year-old Nazaha Aasima boards her school bus every day at 6.45am, the grade one student is almost always half asleep – and too young to understand the sense of dread gripping her mother who constantly worries if she will come home safely.

It was just four months ago that Aasima’s younger sister Nizaha Aalaa, 4, a KG 1 student of Al Worood Private Academy was found dead inside her school bus on October 7, almost three hours after the bus reached the school. She died of suffocation after she fell asleep in the bus and got locked inside.

“We worry for Aasima all the time. We have lost one child but we also know there is nothing much we can do,” Naseer Ahmad, father of Aasima and Aalaa told XPRESS.

Twist of fate

“We know she sleeps in the bus on the way to school. But we don’t want to scare our daughter with our worries.

“All our focus is to keep Aasima happy and engaged as she still misses her sister badly,” said the grieving father.

Aasima is a grade 1 student at the Bright Riders School in Abu Dhabi.

Ahmad, an accountant in a government company, said his youngest daughter could not go the same school because she did not match the age criteria to get admission to the Indian school.

“We had no choice but to send her to a British Curriculum school. That is how we chose Al Worood. Otherwise, Aalaa would have gone to the same school with her sister,” said Ahmad. Last week, the Abu Dhabi Court of Misdemeanour sentenced the bus driver and supervisor to three years and a fine of Dh20,000 each.

The transport company owner will serve six months in jail and was ordered to pay a fine of Dh500,000.

The order for closure of the Al Worood Academy Private School still stands and the management will have to pay Dh150,000 in fines.

Reacting to the court verdict, Ahmad said they are just relieved that safety has become the top priority for schools and law enforcement authorities.

“Safety comes first. What is the point in educating your child if their safety is compromised?” asked the distraught father.

He said Aalaa’s death is a lesson that the smallest of mistakes can lead to the worst tragedies.

“When I think about it, I know no one committed a big crime here. But a slight negligence and carelessness on the part of the bus supervisor or conductor took my daughter’s life.”

Even while grieving over their daughter’s untimely death, Ahmad said his family is happy to see stringent rules like mandatory seat belts and training for school bus staff being introduced in Abu Dhabi.

“Authorities had promised us better safety regulations for schoolgoing children. I am glad they are following it up for the benefit of other children and parents,” said Ahmad

source : gulfnews