Enhancing Learner Transport Access in South Africa: Findings and Future Strategies
On May 15, 2007, the Education Portfolio Committee addressed critical issues surrounding learner transport in South Africa. The Department of Education (DoE) presented research findings highlighting the substantial disparities in transport access between provinces, with a significant percentage of learners facing long walks to school. The committee discussed existing transport schemes, the effectiveness of service providers, and the need for a national framework to improve transportation access. Key objectives include evaluating current practices and formulating strategies to enhance learner safety and accessibility across the nation.
Enhancing Learner Transport Access in South Africa: Findings and Future Strategies
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Presentation Transcript
LEARNER TRANSPORT PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION 15 MAY 2007
CONTENTS • Issues in learner transport • DoE research • Current provision • Next steps
Issues in learner transport • Effective access & implications: • Location of schools • Transport • Hostels • Substantial difference between provinces in approaches • Wide coverage of problems with bus service • Perceived quality of service, especially with reference to learner safety • Agreements & payment of contractors • In response, DoE commissioned experts
Objectives of the study • Gather information on existing learner transport schemes both internationally, nationally and sub-nationally. • Evaluate and develop alternate strategies to improve access to schools in SA • Formulate a national framework on learner transport assistance schemes, as a guideline for PEDS
Status quo National Household Travel Survey (Department of Transport: 2003) • 75% of learners take less than 30 minutes to walk from home to school • As many as 5% of those walking (or more than 570,000 learners) take longer than 1 hour to reach their place of education; • 25% of primary school children (1,7 million) and 36% of high school learners (1,8 million) walk longer than 30 minutes or about 3 km in one direction; • High proportion of learners walking longer than 30 minutes to reach education sites in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga and North West .
Status quo (2) • Learner transport policy and implementation in 8 of the 9 provinces (KwaZulu-Natal only proceeding now). • Diverse provincial practice: • Type of support • Mostly contracted dedicated transport service • Also: • Money/cash for using public transport • Non-motorised transport (bicycles) • Criteria for participation • Generally distance (3 to 5 km) • Income sometimes factored in
Status quo (3) • NW managed by Department of Transport, information not available • KwaZulu-Natal – no learner transport in the past
Current processes • Internal consultation within education sector on appropriate way forward • What is required? (national policy, national guidelines or provincial prerogative) • Clear responsibilities • Scope of what is required? (From broad policy to management system to operations) • Transport participated together with provinces in processes around the study but further consultation required
Potential impact • Key decision on whether a national distance or other norm should be set • Implications not insignificant • Implications for numbers transported and expenditure identified in table below