Patna, Sept. 4: Police today passed the buck of the security of schoolchildren on the management of the educational institutions.

A senior officer told The Telegraph that if a private bus, hired by a school to transport students, turned rogue on the road, the school authority would be held responsible. He added that the men in uniform would soon begin a drive to check if the schools in the state capital were adhering to the directives issued by the authorities to ensure safety of students.

Members of Bihar Public School and Children Welfare Association, that claims to represent all private schools of the city, had said yesterday that the security of students off campus was the responsibility of the police, who should try to regulate traffic. The association also gave a clean chit to Gyan Niketan School.

On August 30, a drunken driver of an overloaded bus of the school had allegedly endangered the lives of students and other commuters by ramming into several vehicles before the police stopped him.

Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Alok Kumar, however, today said the security of the students was a collective responsibility and schools would not be allowed to wash their hands off in the matter.

“A number of schools have hired buses from private operators to transport students. So, it is the responsibility of the school management to ensure that the buses are not overloaded and the students are safe till they reach home. Often, students, who travel in these buses, do not get a seat. Schools should try to provide education and not act like agents trying to squeeze more money out of students. If we find a bus not following the regulations, we will question the school management as well,” said the senior officer.

He added that as many schools charge transportation fees from students, it was their responsibility to ensure the security as well.

The SSP said: “Parents, too, often hire autorick- shaws or minibuses to transport their wards to school, though they are risky. We are always there to help and manage the traffic. However, parents and schools should also act responsibly.”

Alok also said the police were taking adequate steps to ensure the security of school students, and would soon launch a drive to ensure if educational institutions had installed CCTV cameras at their gates.

On August 9, schools were instructed to install CCTV cameras near their gates after two students of Christ Church School were kidnapped from in front of the educational institution. The deadline was August 23.

The SSP said: “Some schools have already installed the cameras, while others have initiated the process. However, there are also some schools that have done nothing about it. All police stations have been directed to check if the schools are following the security regulation. If they are not, they could face legal action.”