The government is considering installing security cameras on all buses used to transport students as a permanent measure to address incidents of misconduct along school routes, according to the Minister of Transportation, Communications, and Public Works, Evi Tsolaki.
The issue was discussed at an expanded meeting chaired by the Minister, with the participation, among others, of the Minister of Education, Sports, and Youth, Athina Michaelidou; the Chair of the Parliamentary Committee on Transportation, Sotiris Ioannou; the Commissioner for the Protection of Personal Data, Maria Christofidou, and the President of the Pancyprian Confederation of Federations of Parents’ Associations of Public Secondary Schools, Loizos Konstantinou.
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
In remarks following the meeting, the Minister of Transportation stated that it was decided to explore the possibility of installing cameras on all school buses, with specific timelines for the necessary procedures.
As she explained, the implementation of this measure will require preliminary procedures, including issuing a call for bids and determining how the system will operate. The Ministry of Transportation will cover the cost of installing the cameras.
Until the cameras are installed, interim measures will continue to be implemented on school buses, such as the presence of chaperones or inspectors. As mentioned, in some cases, parents currently ride the buses as well, with the aim of preventing violations.
The Minister of Transportation clarified that footage from the cameras will be used in the event of a violation and that the process will follow the guidelines of the Commissioner for the Protection of Personal Data.
In the event of a complaint, an authorized representative of the contractor will hand over the relevant footage to the police, who will investigate the incident. At the same time, a specific person must be designated as the data controller for the material.
When asked about the possibility that a parent might not want their child to be recorded by the cameras, the Minister stated that, provided the procedure is implemented in accordance with the Commissioner’s guidelines and parents are aware of the cameras’ existence, the decision whether or not the child uses that particular mode of transportation rests with the parent.
For her part, the Minister of Education emphasized that the goal is to address specific incidents without targeting all students because of the behavior of a few.
As she noted, the relevant protocol has been upgraded and updated, while the main problem identified concerns the identification of students or groups of students involved in incidents of misconduct.
Ms. Michaelidou linked the installation of the cameras to the need to ensure safe public transportation for students, noting that the government is investing significant funds in student transportation and seeks to promote the use of public transportation.
He clarified that in order for camera footage to be used, there must be a serious incident and a complaint filed with the police, and that only authorized individuals will have access to the footage, in accordance with a procedure to be established in collaboration with the Data Protection Commissioner.
In the event of a complaint, he added, both the parents and the school are notified. Depending on the circumstances, parents may be required to cover the cost of damages, while the school administration will follow the existing protocol regarding the applicable penalties.
Finally, the Minister of Education stated that strict timelines should be set for the implementation of these measures, with the aim of reducing and preventing similar incidents.
Source: CNA
