Updated: Ministry requests investigation of school transport costs
(Adds MLP reaction)
Finance Minister Tonio Fenech has asked the Competition Office to investigate complaints of steep increases in the fees for school transport.
The Finance Ministry said the minister had noted complaints about transport costs made in the media over recent days.
Transport operators have argued that prices have had to rise because of higher diesel costs and a requirement that all school children have to wear a seatbelt, meaning that small children cannot share seats. Some van owners said they had to actually fit the seat belts.
The minister five months ago also requested an inquiry on the cost of school uniforms, books, and stationery. The outcome is still pending.
In his reaction to this inquiry, the Labour Party’s spokeman for education, Evarist Bartolo said that it had been known for months that the cost of school transport was to increase by at least 15 per cent because of rise in the cost of oil and other security measures which had to be taken by minibuses.
So it was ridiculous that it was only now, when the prices had actually increased, that the Finance minister requested the Office of Fair Competition to investigate.
This office had not even concluded the investigation on school uniforms which had to be over before the start of the scholastic year.
This showed that the government was insensitive to the financial difficulties being faced by parents in several sectors.
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18 Comments
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marc cassar
Sep 26th 2008, 22:20
The Gov. charades are getting better by the day....
In a general context - can any member of the Maltese Gov. explain to us all how €280 per term for a school bus is justified, when it has already been stated "it is only fair that rents will have a ceiling of €180"? In basic terms - it will take an owner of a property (with no say over his assets) - longer than 4 1/2 years to pay for school transport for 1 scholastic year.
I would love to see the logic & justified reasoning behind this farce!!!
Equality for all? – I do not think so.
Jesmond Azzopardi
Sep 26th 2008, 20:06
Since fuel prices on the international market inceased, it was obvious that school transport costs would also increase. But a 41% increase in school transport costs is ridiculous!!! I am the father of two children, and transport costs to send them to school have shot up from 198 euros per term to 280 euros per term. To add insult to injury, these van owners do not declare all their income. Has anyone seen a fiscal receipt???? MINISTER TONIO FENECH, PLEASE NOTE!!!!!!!! WAGE EARNERS CANNOT TAKE ALL THE BURDEN!!!!!!!
James Borg
Sep 26th 2008, 19:29
When I contacted the bus driver, he told me right away that I had to fork out another Lm 20 (46 euros more). I was helpless as I can't take my daughter to St. Joseph Blata l-Bajda so I have to succumb!! I will be paying 163 euros per term. Now I have two smaller children, if we continue with these price hikes, I may well be working to send my daughters to school. A shame that must somehow be remedied!!
James
Joseph E Briffa
Sep 26th 2008, 18:53
Dear Parents...you are in a position to do something about transport....JUST SEE YOUR CHILDREN TO SCHOOL YOURSELVES AND CALL FOR THEM IN THE AFTERNOON AND FORGET ABOUT SCHOOL TRANSPORT. YOU DON'T HAVE TO DO IT EVERYDAY BUT YOU CAN MAKE ARRANGEMENTS WITH A FRIEND AND TAKE IT BY TURNS ON ALTERNATE DAYS. This only entails a small sacrifice but has many benefits including ensuring that the children would not have to wake up early to be picked up before dawn, they are driven to school in more comfort, and I can assure you that you will save money. TRY IT AND SEE FOR YOURSELVES. ACT NOW.
l Galea
Sep 26th 2008, 18:32
Where is that union that claimed some Lm9 a week back in the early eighties?
robert mifsud
Sep 26th 2008, 17:31
How can we live any longer like this,everything is rocketing wildly while we wage earners are just trying to make ends meet.This is what the wage increase should be, just add up all the increases and there you are,MAGIC ! This would amount to tens of euros !
debbie bugeja
Sep 26th 2008, 17:29
This here I had to pay 23.29 eurosmore for a semester to send my son to school because of high cost . Not only that but the van passes for my s on at 6.30am, when at school he starts at 8.00am. Actually, my husband and my son leaves at the same time.
I think its ridicolous to have the van pick up my son at that time., when now he has to wait for the minibus in the dark.
M Agius
Sep 26th 2008, 16:52
Back to the same routine. Students of St Theresa Junior Lyceum on four mornings this week waited in vain for their transport at Dingli - from 7am till they gave up and used the public transport. The solution was to ask them to use another schools' transport that picks them up at 6.45. By the way, there is a directive that says that State school transport should not pick up students earlier than one hour before school time, which means that they should not get on any bus before 7.25. Oh, and on one afternoon they were left without transport as well - either phoning for a lift or using public transport, in any case arriving home well after 4.30pm. We parents have been complaining for years and this is the result.
martin saliba
Sep 26th 2008, 16:35
Dose anybody remember the phrase " U Halliom ha joghlo il prezzijiet " ?
Dose price control make any sense?
Hedging was not good but now gov. boasts of the millions saved because of the hedging agreement.
I wouldn't want a police state as in the 80;s but something has to be done , or rather should have been done..
James Hamilton
Sep 26th 2008, 16:31
It was a forgone conclusion that the cost of transport would have to go up in relation to the price of fuel...........There you go, ........investigation completed.
My concern is with parents paying such exorbitant fees for transport, why do I see children standing at the street corner as early as 06-30am waiting for the school bus, this is far too early, these same children don't get home till about 16-00 hours.
In my opinion there should be a law that stipulates that the school transport service should not start before 0700 hours.
J Grech
Sep 26th 2008, 16:19
While someone is conducting all these checks, a test on the type of fuel used may prove to be very revealing.
Chris Finch
Sep 26th 2008, 16:09
And have any of them fitted seatbelts? Are there any inspections to check they arent overloaded? Who monitors thier driving standard? Are any of the drivers recently convicted during the strike drivng children about? I would want to know if my child is being driven by a violent criminal. I suggest a general boycott of these minibuses by all parents until service and safety improves. Lets stop these cowboys calling the shots.
J Grech
Sep 26th 2008, 15:49
And the investigation on bank charges.........any outcome.......SSShhhh don't rock the boat, what better way to win time and hope the pain subsides.
J Farrugia
Sep 26th 2008, 15:40
I think the ministry is pulling our legs. Case 1 - the investigation about school uniforms is not as yet ready. When shall we see the outcome? If the investigators are not fit I am willing and able to take their place. Case 2 - Since the end of the trasport strike I have heard the minibus drivers inciting each other to request a price hike for transporting school children, and not because they are installing seatbelts or what not, but to prepare themselves for liberalisation. Case 3 - The Education Ministry should investigate why certain teachers are requesting their students to cover the books, copy books files, etc, first with brown paper and then with plastic covers. If you do not believe me, go to Sta Lucia Secondary School. That's one of the culprits. This is all a waste of money and time consuming. This is not to mention books (just changing the first page) or the school uniforms. These are scandals, dear Ministers. This is a school racket. This schooling is bankrupting whole families. How about investigating these matters, eh? Are you reading this, Ministers???????
A. Camilleri
Sep 26th 2008, 15:35
Did the ministry publish a dead line or is it going to be an other endless INVESTIGATION ? In the mean time we are expected to keep on smiling and paying what is requested by these bullies.
patrick mifsud
Sep 26th 2008, 15:25
are an extra 50 euros per term per child over and above the 86 euros per term per child i used to pay enough to concluded the investigation? by the way this is a 2 km journey ?????
J.Borg
Sep 26th 2008, 15:08
My Oh My.......didn't anyone at the ministry think of this before....couldn't have anyone thought that prices will rocket shy high since the price of diesel has gone up.......hope that this investigation want take as long as the one for uniforms...which i might say hasn't een concluded yet......
but until the report is ready us consumers will stay have to pay the price asked.........
Charles Falzon
Sep 26th 2008, 15:01
There is also the abuse of obliging parents to buy school uniforms at a higher cost from certain shops only.
Hasn't this profiteering gone on far enough?