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Urgent Action Needed On Tubbut School Bus: Hall

Eastern Region MP Peter Hall wants a ‘stay of execution’ for the Tubbut School bus, so a proper assessment of need can be carried out during the first school term.

By The Nationals - 19th January 2007 - Back to News

The bus has been stopped because the number of students has dropped to below Department of Education guidelines, but Mr Hall has called on Education Services Minister Jacinta Allan to guarantee funding for at least term one of this year.

In a letter to the Minister, The Nationals MP said: "Because of a range of factors including drought, commodity prices and land use change, families have moved out of the area in recent years and student numbers at the school have fallen.

"The expected enrolment for 2007 is six pupils. However it was not so long ago the school had more than 20 enrolments and it is quite likely school numbers will again increase."

Mr Hall said that last year three students travelled on the school bus.

"This year again there is only three eligible travellers but a further two students who live within 4.8 kms of the school would also use the bus. The student living the furthest from the school resides at Bonang, a distance of 32 kms away. The bendy dirt roads in this region result in this being a 40 minute trip to school. Two of the other potential bus travellers are new prep students."

Mr Hall has investigated with the Department of Infrastructure and he understands that the service can continue, but only if the Department of Education pays for the service.

In his plea to the Minister, Mr Hall said: "I have grave fears that if the school bus service is terminated, the school will ultimately close.

"Parents living in this isolated part of the State do not have the capacity to transport their children to school every day and they will end up being schooled by distance education, home schooling or if possible travelling on the secondary school bus which goes to a NSW school.

"The loss of the school bus and quite likely school closure would be a terrible blow to a community already experiencing significant social disadvantage."

Given the start of the school year is only two weeks away, Mr Hall said the matter needed to be addressed immediately.

"My urgent request is for the department to immediately guarantee funding for the school bus service for term 1, 2007. This would at least give the local community and the department time to properly assess the impact of the school bus service being closed and what alternatives, if any, are possible."

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com

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