KUCHING: Sarawak Teachers Union (STU) applauded the introduction of the free school bus services in Kuching next year.
Its president Macky Joseph said, “The service will certainly ease the financial burden of low-income families working in the urban areas.
“We hope with such implementation of the free school bus service, the authorities providing it must come up with some guidelines that will take care of security of the children while taking the bus.”
He gave his comments when contacted by New Sarawak Tribune yesterday on the matter which was announced by Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg in the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) Sitting on Monday.
He noted that safety was the priority and it was mandatory for the authority to look into this seriously.
“Thus, ensuring schoolchildren manage their time while reaching and leaving their schools accordingly to their schools’ timetable,” he said.
Nevertheless, Macky also suggested that the government carry out a simple needs survey so that the free bus service could be planned to run through the designated routes where many schoolchildren could benefit from it.
He suggested the service be provided to other places in big towns like Sibu, Miri, Bintulu and also throughout the entire state.
On Monday, Abang Johari explained that the (free bus) service would be based on the ‘hop-on hop-off concept’ where students could just board a bus at any point along a route and then hop-off at their respective schools.
“This will be our pilot initiative and will be introduced to other densely populated cities in Sarawak, when the need arises,” he told when tabling the Sarawak Budget 2020.
He mentioned that the service was mooted by the state government in recognition of the financial burden faced by low-income families in urban areas to meet transportation costs to schools.
He added that the service was also expected to ease traffic congestion in the city.
