Students from Poloa, Fagalii and Fagamalo attending Alataua II Elementary in Nua and Se’etaga no longer have school bus transportation…they have to find other means of going to and from school until the new school year starts.
Last week students were sent home with a letter signed by school Principal Nelda Uti informing them that there will be no school bus service and apologizing for the inconvenience.
Parents with vehicles are asked to transport their children to school and to pick them up after.
Several parents have expressed their concerns with the situation.
Some parents do not want their children to travel in others’ cars.
Likewise parents do not want to put the burden on parents with vehicles to transport their children without any supervision.
In most cases children are left in the back of trucks by themselves.
Who will be responsible if something happens to the children?
Some parents are just taking their children to school when they have final exams and take them home immediately after their test are finished.
Deputy Director of Education, Fa’aui Vaitautolu in response to KHJ News queries said that there’s a shortage of school buses.
She said that she has advised parents who have called to complain to sign a consent form should they wish to have other parents transport their children to school.
Alataua Elementary’s Vice Principal, Etisone Taumua said after consultation with the main office, it has come down to no school bus for students from the villages of Poloa, Fagalii and Fagamalo until the new school year.
An official at the School Bus Division explained that there are only 16 school buses running taking care of 16 elementary schools, 5 high schools and 13 private schools.
He said the poor conditions of roads on the western end of the island.
While most of the Alataua roads have been paved, portions of the road in Amanave village, Poloa, Fagali’i and Fagamalo are still filled with pot holes.
