Residents of Lalakoro in Seaqaqa are urging authorities to take swift action after a Rural Services License (RSL) operator’s decision has left students without reliable transportation to school. Parent Zibran Hussein has highlighted the pressing situation that affects ten students attending Vunimanuca Primary School, situated roughly three kilometers from their homes. In the absence of safe transportation, these children are forced to travel on cane trucks, a method that raises serious safety concerns.
While 26 students from surrounding communities are still able to take advantage of RSL services, those in Lalakoro feel abandoned, leading to heightened worries over child safety and equal access to education. Hussein has vocalized the dangers, expressing, “The main issue for us here in Lalakoro is that the RSL is not picking up our students. Now we have to take them on a cane truck, and it’s always a risk if something happens to them. We don’t have a car, only a cane truck, so the students sit at the back.”
As the new school year progresses, parents are growing increasingly anxious for solutions that would allow their children to travel to school safely. Fellow parent Ilisabeta Wati echoed these feelings, emphasizing the risks of allowing children to walk long distances through cane fields and agricultural areas. “It’s quite a distance from here to the school, and it is surrounded by cane fields. If I let them walk, there is always that fear that something could happen to them,” she noted, revealing that there are times when she opts not to send her children to school.
The issue reportedly began when parents expressed complaints about the RSL operator’s inefficiency, as their children were often left waiting for pickups for nearly two hours. Consequently, the operator has halted services to Lalakoro due to logistical challenges, as they are now servicing six other communities on the same route. The Ministry of Education’s Transport Officer has directed the matter to the Land Transport Authority (LTA), stating that a new operator can only be appointed after the current license for that area is surrendered.
In the pursuit of a resolution, FBC News has reached out to the LTA for comments regarding the situation. The community remains hopeful that authorities will swiftly tackle the transportation concerns, ensuring that all students, irrespective of their location, have fair access to safe educational transportation. As discussions continue, the residents of Lalakoro stand united in their plea for a dependable solution, emphasizing the importance of safety and education for their children.