NO CHILD SHOULD BE LEFT BEHIND:                  FAIR  TRANSPORTATION FOR               CHOISEUL/SALTIBUS STUDENTS

Choiseul on the Move believes that education must not only be spoken about as a right — it must be supported in practical ways that make that right real for every child.

Across Choiseul and Saltibus, many parents rise each morning with one main concern: making sure their children get to school safely and on time. But for some families, the greatest burden is not uniforms, books, or lunch money. It is the daily cost of transportation.

Key Issue: Some students benefit from government-supported transportation, while others attending different schools are left without similar support.

Consider the situation of a family with three children. One child attends Vieux Fort Secondary School and is able to access transportation through the Nysbert Skeete school bus service. However, two other children in the same household attend Beanefield Secondary School, where no similar transportation arrangement is available.

One of those children is already attending Beanefield Secondary, while the other will begin in September. Over the past school year, the cost of transportation has already placed a heavy burden on the family. With another child now joining the same school, that burden will become even greater.

Where Is the Equality?

This raises a serious question that must be addressed:

Should a child’s access to affordable school transportation depend on which secondary school he or she attends?

If one student from Choiseul can benefit from government-funded or government-supported transportation, then students from the same constituency attending another secondary school should not be forgotten. Equality must not be selective. Fairness must not stop at one school gate.

For many parents, transportation costs add up quickly. What may appear to be a small daily fare can become a major monthly expense when multiplied by two or three children. At a time when families are already dealing with the rising cost of living, this is a burden that can affect school attendance, learning, and the peace of mind of parents.

Education Access Means Transportation Access

We often say that education is the key to a better future. But that future becomes harder to reach when a child cannot get to school without placing a financial strain on the home.

Government support for education should not end at the classroom door. It must also consider the journey children must make every morning and every afternoon.

Transportation is not a luxury. For many rural students, it is the bridge between home and opportunity.

Students from Choiseul who are assigned to schools outside the district should not be disadvantaged simply because no bus route exists for them. The issue is not whether every student attends the same school. The issue is whether every student is given a fair chance to attend school consistently.

A Practical Call for Action

Choiseul on the Move is calling on the Ministry of Education and the relevant authorities to examine the gaps in school transportation support for students from Choiseul and Saltibus.

There are practical ways this matter can be addressed:

• Expand existing school bus routes where possible.
• Provide transportation bursaries for students who do not have access to a school bus.
• Partner with licensed transport providers to subsidize fares.
• Conduct a proper needs assessment to identify families under real financial pressure.

The principle is simple: all students, all schools, equal access, equal opportunity.

This Is Not Politics — This Is Fairness

This issue should not be treated as a political matter. It is a family matter. It is an education matter. It is a fairness matter.

Parents in Choiseul and Saltibus are doing their best. Many are stretching limited resources just to keep their children moving forward. When government support exists for some students, the system must also be willing to look at those who are falling through the cracks.

No child should be placed at a disadvantage because of the school they attend. No parent should have to wonder whether transportation costs will prevent their child from reaching the classroom.

Equal Opportunity Begins With Equal Access

As a new school year approaches, this is the right time for the authorities to act. The situation of students attending Beanefield Secondary School from Choiseul is only one example of a wider concern that may be affecting many families across the constituency.

If we are serious about education, then we must be serious about transportation. If we are serious about equality, then we must ensure that no student is left out simply because their route is not covered.

Choiseul on the Move says clearly:
Every child deserves a fair chance. Every child deserves access. Every child deserves a ride to education.

Equality is not a privilege. It is a right.

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