E-Paper
Ludhiana: Few takers for transport facility, say SOE heads
Education department directs 14 out of 16 schools of eminence to seek consent for starting bus services for students, facing challenges like cost and student preferences.
Out of the 16 schools of eminence (SOEs) in the district, 14 schools which did not provide transportation facilities to its students the previous year, have been directed by the education department to ask for the consent of the students and their parents so that bus services could be started in those schools too.
The department, for the convenience of SOEs’ students, had started providing transportation facility, but only the schools of Doraha and Dadahur could start the services the previous year. District education officer (DEO) secondary Harjinder Singh said all the schools have been directed to start at least one bus by July 10 and the number of buses would increase with an increased number of students willing to avail the service.
However, school heads mentioned a few issues associated with the facility. “The students prefer e-rickshaws in a congested city like ours and also find it economical and time-saving. They also have formed their groups and commute on their two-wheelers, which they feel are more convenient,” said an SOE principal.
Principal of another SOE said, “Majority parents are not even willing to pay an amount of ₹240. As per the scheme, ₹1200 would be charged per student, out of which ₹960 would be borne by the state government and ₹240 would be paid by the student. Another issue here is that the vendors have been asking for an amount which is much more than an amount which would be collected every month, and the options are quite limited as they prefer nearby private schools due to huge profit.”
SOE Jawahar Nagar has started a 42-seater bus two days back, on a trial basis, which runs on a single route as of now.
SOE Indrapuri principal Jaswinder Singh said a 32-seater bus would start on a single route from next week. Transport facility is only available for the students who reside more than 3km away from the school.
“We have given advertisements inviting vendors but due to less number of students willing to avail the service, the cost proposed by the vendor could not be afforded. Rather than providing transportation facility, the government should have transferred an amount of ₹240 in the accounts of the students so that they could commute as per their convenience,” said another principal.
