Can Students Travel Alone Safely? Why Schools Should Teach Public Transport Skills

A student may graduate from school with excellent examination results but struggle when asked to travel alone to an unfamiliar location.

They may not know how to identify the right bus, calculate transport costs, ask for directions, understand routes or respond when they miss their stop.

For some young people, parents or guardians handle nearly every aspect of their movement until they become old enough to travel independently. Others begin using public transport at an early age but receive little guidance on how to navigate unfamiliar routes safely.

As young people grow older, however, travelling independently becomes an important part of education, employment and everyday life.

This raises an important question: Should schools teach students how to use public transport safely before they leave school?

Why Public Transport Skills Matter

Public transport is an important part of everyday life for many people. Students use buses, taxis, trains and other forms of transport to attend school, visit relatives, participate in activities and access opportunities.

Learning how to travel independently involves more than knowing where to board a vehicle. It requires planning, awareness, communication and the ability to make responsible decisions.

Here are some reasons schools should consider introducing public transport education.

 It encourages independence

Students eventually reach a stage where they must move around without depending entirely on parents, guardians or friends.

They may need to attend university, report for an internship, visit a workplace or travel to an unfamiliar community.

Knowing how to plan a journey, identify the correct route and ask for assistance can make these experiences less intimidating.

It also gives young people greater confidence when handling everyday responsibilities.

It helps students manage transport expenses

Transport costs can take up a significant portion of a student’s daily or monthly budget.

Students should understand how to estimate journey costs, keep track of their transport money and avoid spending the entire amount allocated for travelling.

They can also learn to compare available transport options based on cost, convenience and safety.

This does not mean choosing the cheapest option in every situation. A slightly more expensive but safer or more reliable journey may sometimes be the better decision.

 It teaches road and travel safety

Travelling independently requires awareness of possible risks.

Students should understand the importance of using recognised transport services, avoiding dangerous boarding points, following road safety rules and remaining alert during journeys.

They should also know what to do if they feel threatened, become separated from their belongings or find themselves in an uncomfortable situation.

Schools can teach learners to identify trusted sources of assistance and contact a parent, guardian or appropriate emergency service when necessary.

It prepares students for unfamiliar environments

Moving to another town for university, work or training can expose young people to transport systems they have never used before.

A student who understands how to read route information, identify landmarks and ask for directions may find it easier to adjust.

These skills can also be useful when travelling outside Ghana or visiting places where local transport arrangements are unfamiliar.

 It improves communication and decision-making

Using public transport often requires interacting with drivers, conductors, transport officials and other passengers.

Students need to know how to ask clear questions, confirm destinations and communicate respectfully.

They should also learn to make sensible decisions when a vehicle takes an unexpected route, a journey is delayed, or they realise they are heading in the wrong direction.

These experiences can strengthen their confidence and problem-solving abilities.

What Should Schools Teach?

Public transport education could be introduced through practical life-skills lessons, road safety education or civic education.

Students should learn how to:

Identify transport routes and destinations.

Estimate journey times and transport costs.

Understand basic route maps and travel information.

Confirm a vehicle’s destination before boarding.

Identify safe and recognised boarding and dropping-off points.

Keep transport money and personal belongings secure.

Recognise unsafe situations and seek appropriate assistance.

Respond calmly when they miss a stop or board the wrong vehicle.

Use mobile navigation tools responsibly without depending on them entirely.

Follow pedestrian and road safety rules.

Schools should also teach students that they do not have to board a vehicle simply because a driver or another passenger pressures them.

How Can Teachers Make the Lessons Practical?

Schools could organise supervised activities that allow students to understand how public transport works.

For example, teachers could provide a fictional journey and ask learners to identify the appropriate route, estimate the fare and calculate how much money they would need for the return trip.

Students could also examine a simple route map and identify the stops they would use to reach a particular destination.

Another exercise could involve presenting different travel situations. What should a student do after missing a stop? How should they respond if someone offers them an unfamiliar ride? Who should they contact if they become lost?

Where appropriate, schools could organise supervised educational trips that allow learners to observe transport arrangements and practise basic travel skills.

These activities should be age-appropriate and carried out with proper safeguarding arrangements.

In Ghana, many students encounter different forms of public transport, including trotro services, shared taxis, buses and other commercial transport options.

In busy urban areas such as Accra and Kumasi, travelling can involve navigating crowded stations, identifying routes, negotiating transport arrangements and managing changing traffic conditions.

Students who move from smaller communities to larger towns for further education may face additional challenges because they are unfamiliar with local routes and transport systems.

Schools could use examples that reflect these realities, including how to identify the correct trotro destination, confirm fares, recognise established transport stations and seek assistance when lost.

Lessons should also acknowledge that transport arrangements differ between communities. What works in Accra may not necessarily apply in a rural district or another region.

One challenge is the additional responsibility of teaching another practical subject within an already busy curriculum.

However, public transport education does not necessarily require a separate examination subject. It could be incorporated into existing road safety, civic education and life-skills programmes.

Another challenge is that transport systems differ across the country. Schools would need to use examples relevant to their communities while teaching general safety principles that apply more widely.

There is also the issue of students’ ages. Younger learners should not be encouraged to travel independently before they are ready. Practical activities must consider their maturity, individual circumstances and parental guidance.

Parents and guardians should therefore work alongside schools to help children develop these skills gradually.

Should Public Transport Education Be Compulsory?

There is a strong argument for introducing basic public transport education before students leave school.

Not every student will use the same transport system, and some may have private transport arrangements. Nevertheless, the ability to plan a journey, understand directions and recognise unsafe situations is useful for almost everyone.

Schools could begin with basic travel awareness for younger learners and introduce more detailed independent travel exercises as students approach adulthood.

The aim should not be to encourage children to travel alone prematurely. It should be to ensure that when they are ready to travel independently, they have the knowledge to make responsible decisions.

Education should prepare students not only for examinations and careers but also for the everyday responsibilities they will encounter as adults.

Knowing how to use public transport safely can help young people become more independent, manage their travel expenses, navigate unfamiliar places and respond to unexpected situations.

A student may know the capital cities of several countries but still struggle to find the right vehicle to a destination in their own community.

Perhaps it is time for schools to give practical travel knowledge greater attention.

If schools are preparing students for life beyond the classroom, should learning how to use public transport safely become part of the education system?