Officials from the Ministry of Education’s transport assistance scheme taskforce are in Vanua Levu to create awareness about e-ticketing bus fare assistance, which will come into effect from the next school term.
Principal Education officer (primary), Mr Josateki Naisoro said they were creating awareness on e-ticketing with some other officials from Telecom Fiji Limited (TFL).
“We finished the awareness in the Suva, Nasinu, Nausori, Ra, Ba, Tavua, Nadi, Lautoka and Nadroga-Navosa schools within last week. This week, we’ll be visiting schools in Labasa and Savusavu. We are just advising students on the usage of the cards and what is involved,” Mr Naisoro said.
“The bus fare assistance started in late 2009 with cash disbursed to schools and last year coupons were introduced.
“Now, for the way forward, the ministry is going to start the e-ticketing whereby electronic cards will replace coupons in selected schools initially.
“It is more user friendly. In 2009 we used cash and in 2010 but now for the way forward, we are looking at the e-ticketing. The e-ticketing is also the use of cards with the tab machines, as they call it. It’s like a card we use for swapping in ATM or in supermarkets.
“This assistance will start with urban students who travel by bus. It will be for selected urban schools. The schools have been told that there’s a plan to move from the use of coupons to the use of e-ticketing during our forums like the head teachers and principals’ seminars and visits to schools.”
Mr Naisoro said that there was a plan for the implementation of e-ticketing in May but this would depend on how they worked with TFL, Land Transport Authority and the Transport Ministry.
To date, about 95,000 students from a total of 706 schools have been covered under the bus fare assistance scheme by Government.
Mr Naisoro said for 2011, Government had allocated a sum of $12m to help in the bus fare provision for students.
“The budget total for bus fare assistance is $12m. This $12m covers rural and urban students. However, in the beginning e-ticketing will not be for rural students or those that use the RSL carriers or boats. Initially, greater Suva and Lautoka areas will be targeted. Funds for this e-ticketing will come from the $12m given for bus fare assistance scheme,” Mr Naisoro said.
The e-ticketing will be launched at the Bus Operators Association annual general meeting on April 30.
He added that at the end of the year, the cards would be renewed through electronic means.
Bus fare assistance scheme was introduced in late October, 2009 to improve school attendance and performance and help in reducing the number of school dropouts.
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