Abolition of social benefits deprives schoolchildren of bus service
The European Radio for Belarus has another “hole” in the presidential decree on the targeted social assistance. At the first glance, everything looks fine: “Children in the rural areas who study at schools can have free rides on inter-town public buses to their schools in the period of September 1 through June 30”. In reality, there are very few inter-town routes that pass through villages. This forces children to ride commuter buses at the full cost. Alternatively, they have to walk 3-4 km to reach their school.
Officials at the education department at the Baranavichy Town Hall speak out sincerely that the law on the targeted social assistance hinders their proper operation. 15 buses and one van are not sufficient for 640 schoolchildren. They have a deal with the bus companies up to January1, but it is not clear what will happen after the New Year.
Education department staff: If we take all our buses and change the range, it will still not be enough, because we have over 600 children. They are too many.
ERB: How many buses more do you need?
Staff: We need at least 10 more buses. We had education minister visiting us here. We hosted the sitting of the national commission on children’s affairs. We had all deputy chairmen of the regional executive power. We posed questions. The situation is similar across the nation.
Parents keep calling the local education department on a daily basis. It turns out that after the New Year, some schoolchildren will be transported by a school bus. Others will have to pay. Bus companies are not allowed by the Ministry of Transport to give a free ride to schoolchildren, because this violates the law.
Staff: The bus company said that they would keep transporting them till January 1. They keep calling us every day and asking what we are going to do. We also call them. We can understand them. The Ministry of Transport called them and told them to stick to the law.
ERB: Are you going to write to the Ministry of Education?
Staff: The ministry is aware. They say that they are in a deadlock, because Article 45 in the Education Bill stipulates that local authorities must organize free transport for schoolchildren, paying from the local budget. It means that these documents are in contradiction with each other. So this issue should be sorted out on the top of power.
Paradox is that the local authorities are even ready to purchase ticket for children, but it is prohibited by law. The point is not about the money but about the law.
Henadz Hanchar, a chief specialist from the education department of the Brest regional executive committee, has assured the European Radio for Belarus that the local authorities organized transportation for children. But they organized it not everywhere.
Henadz Hanchar: Mostly, we have this problem in the Baranavichy district, Hantsavichy and Lyakhavichy. The local authorities there did not resolve this issue, because it is expensive. But we will implement the president’s decree anyway.
Officials from the education department at the Homel regional executive committee also say they will organize transportation for schoolchildren till January 1. They have filed a letter with the Ministry of Education. They hope they willeventually get instructions about what they should do further.
Fhoto: photosight.ru
