A concerned parent from Vuniwere in Seaqaqa may stop sending his son to school if rural service licensing operators continue to suspend their operations over the next two weeks.
Sheeran Khan said the absence of rural licensing operator services within their area had forced his son, a student at Seaqaqa Central College, to walk at least two kilometres each morning just to catch a bus to school.
“My son has to walk for at least two kilometres to catch the bus because of the suspension of services,” he said.
Mr Khan said the daily struggle had become financially draining for families already burdened by the rising cost of living.
“We now have to get money from our own pocket, about $5 every day, to send him to school. We also have to top up the bus card just so he can travel.”
The disruption, he said, had resulted in his son arriving late to school as buses servicing alternative routes reached the school much later than usual.
“This has led him to go to school late because the bus enters other routes before he reaches school.
“If this continues for the next two weeks, I will not be sending my son to school.”
While the situation had frustrated many parents, he said he did not blame the rural service licensing operator for suspending operations as fuel prices have increased.
“We have heard they suspended their services because of the increase in fuel prices.
“We do not blame them. Fuel prices have increased three times and everyone is struggling.”
If no immediate solution was found, he said more parents in rural communities could be left with difficult decisions as transport costs continue to rise, leaving students at risk of missing out on their education.
