The ADT public relations officer, Daniela Borg Mizzi, by means of a circular letter, informed parents/guardians of children attending St Joseph School, Sliema that, due to road works to be carried out over the coming weeks by the Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs, certain roads in Sliema will be closed to vehicular traffic.

Very kindly, Ms Borg Mizzi attached a site road map for easy reference, thus indicating the roads through which parents/guardians driving their children to school, have to pass. Quite a ring road! Besides, very diligently, the ADT is requesting parents/guardians accompanying children to school not to obstruct the deviation routes in the vicinity of the school.

While appreciating the detailed information given to parents/guardians of the students by the authorities concerned, one wonders why the said works are being taken in hand now, when school has reopened, and this after three months of long summer holidays. This will be adding the hassle to an already desperate situation faced by parents/guardians who have to make it to school on time. It's even worse to those parents/guardians who have not managed to get a seat on the school transport.

Parking in Sliema is nearly impossible on a normal day let alone during the coming weeks when the major road leading to St Joseph School is inaccessible.

One sincerely hopes that the ADT/ministry are not expecting parents, guardians to drop their small children roads away from the school premises as this would mean a grave irresponsibility. And what about the noises caused by construction machinery? Is the Education Minister aware of this inconvenience and health hazard?

It stands to reason that the laying down of new services in roads needs to be done but why choose this time of the year? Is it wrong planning?