Many students were left stranded at home last week when bus drivers not employed by their schools decided to stay away because they feared arrest, say parents and teachers.

The government has recently cracked down on expatriates working as drivers who have not transferred their sponsorship to schools employing them.

Many parents said they are having difficulty getting their children to school without these drivers. Some had been forced to let their children walk to school, in some instances almost two kilometers.

Mohammed Naser, a resident and father of two, said he needs a driver to take his sons to school. “It is totally unacceptable that our children are placed at risk every morning, not to mention the impact on thousands of parents who may be late for work, or miss work completely.”

He said that his children cannot afford to stay away from school because they would fall behind in their work. He is among several parents who have urged their children’s schools to employ drivers.

Sayeed Khotani, another parent, said: “I had to drive my daughters to school since the bus didn’t show up the whole of last week. The driver informed me that he could no longer transport students because he is afraid of being arrested.”

Khotani said that he is late for work in the morning because of the early morning traffic. “Taxis are not readily available in the morning, and when someone is available, he charges SR20 for a 10-minute drive,” he said.

Ahmed Khan, a bus driver who transports 50 children a day, said: “With my small bus, I provide transport for schools and earn a monthly salary. We are aware that families are having a hard time now that many bus drivers have stopped working. Although my business is losing a lot of money, I have stopped working because I am afraid of being arrested.”

Fatimah Sayeeda, director at a private school, said: “Absenteeism skyrocketed last week when bus drivers stopped working. We had to reschedule tests and cancel several events and other extracurricular activities. To resolve this situation, we are trying to get a few drivers under the school’s sponsorship.”