By Nancy Nais
KUCHING, July 25: The Ministry of Transport Sarawak (MOTS) will soon conduct a comprehensive survey on how students commute to school as part of efforts to enhance and strengthen the State’s free school transportation programme.
Transport Minister Dato Sri Lee Kim Shin said the absence of such data has hindered the ministry’s ability to refine the initiative effectively.
“We need to know how our students travel to school and back. Do their parents send and fetch them? Do they take public buses, school buses, or ride motorcycles themselves?
“In suburban and rural areas, some even walk long distances or rely on boats to reach school,” he said during the launch of the Free School Transportation Workshop today.
Lee acknowledged that transportation to school has become an increasing financial burden for many families, especially with uncontrolled fare hikes, lack of enforcement, and the absence of structured government support.
“Some families are forced to pay between RM100 and RM250 a month for just one child’s school transport. This is happening even in urban areas,” he pointed out.
The workshop, he said, comes at a crucial time as it provides a platform to explore viable solutions to improve the initiative’s implementation.
“In certain areas, school bus services are disappearing because operators can no longer cope with rising fuel and maintenance costs. As a result, students are forced to walk long distances, ride motorcycles with siblings, or even skip school when there’s no alternative.
“This situation reminds us that transportation is not just a logistical issue but a social one as well. We must act in the interest of our children, especially those from B40 and low-income families,” he stressed.
The free school transportation programme, jointly implemented by MOTS and Yayasan Sarawak, is a social intervention aimed at reducing the financial burden of school transportation while ensuring equal access to education.
Since its inception, the initiative has been positively received by parents, particularly those with multiple school-going children.
“If a family has three to five children, they could be spending RM300 to RM500 a month just on transport. This programme significantly eases that burden. The money saved can be redirected to other daily expenses or household needs while ensuring their children can attend school regularly,” he explained.
He emphasised the need for continuous review and refinement of the programme to ensure it remains effective and sustainable.
“We must consistently evaluate the reach, quality of service, student safety, and financial sustainability of this programme,” he said.
The workshop was attended by representatives from Yayasan Sarawak, the Sarawak Education Department, District Education Offices, teachers, and selected school bus operators. — DayakDaily
