Some private schools have taken it upon themselves to introduce supervision on the state-funded school transport service, but have advised parents that they will have to fork out the cost.

The free school transport agreement, which the government says will save parents some €700 a year, was signed earlier this month. Two contracts were signed - one for state schools and the other for Church and private schools. Operators are to be paid directly by the ministry, and as a result parents need not pay anything.

While news of the agreement was welcomed, especially after concerns that it a deal would not be struck in time for the start of the scholastic year, there was disappointment at the fact that plans to have supervisors on board the minibuses were shelved. In its electoral manifesto the Labour Party had not only promised free school transport, but also supervision.

At the signing of the deal last week, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said that, instead of supervisors, students who use school transport will be monitored by an app that traces when a child gets on or off the transport van.

In a letter seen by this newspaper, one particular private school told parents that it had been informed, at the eleventh hour, that the Education Division will not be covering the cost of supervision on school transport.

"This means that we will have to source reliable persons to supervise your child/ren on the van and that you will need to cover the supervision cost. It is going to be extremely difficult (hopefully not impossible!) to find suitable persons at this late hour. We will do our very best to ensure that the vans are supervised mornings and afternoons and will come back to you with costs as soon as we have a better picture.

The school also advised parents that pick-up and drop-off times will be set by the van operators. "We have no say or control over these times nor do we have any control or say over the routes."

This is, however, normal practice with regard to school transport.  

The Malta Independent yesterday spoke with Minister Bartolo, and asked him whether the lack of supervision could act as a disincentive for parents.

Bartolo replied that the government was introducing a massive reform, and it could not realistically introduce all measures at the same time. "The first measure was to introduce free transport for all schools. We are not talking about a small logistical operation.  We estimate that we will be transporting up to 40,000 more children. Given the situation, the amount of vehicles and drivers we have available, and the amount of work that had to be done within a certain times pan, it is a large logistical operation."

Asked if schools or parents would now have to pay for the cost of supervision, Bartolo pointed out that most school transport had no supervision. "So this is not like there was something and we took it away."

The minister added that the government would not stop those schools that want to organize such supervision, further adding that parents would be saving up to €700 a year by using the service.  

No guarantee from operators

Meanwhile, in a letter sent to Heads of Schools, a number of operators said it could not promise that it would manage to service all the routes.

"The free school transport scheme has increased the demand for transport services in an exponential manner," operators  said.

"Our logistical and human resources are stretched to the very limit and hence, as a result of the above, we are bound to inform you with regret that we cannot guarantee that we will be in a position to service all new routes as we had managed to do in previous years."

"Furthermore, in view of the extra length in most routes in order to service a vast amount of new students who have chosen to avail themselves of the free transport scheme, we have to inform you that there is the strong possibility that a certain measure of belatedness, especially in the afternoon pick up,  may be experienced.

While apologizing for any inconvenience, we assure you that we are and shall continue to exert our very best endeavors to minimize any inconvenience which you may suffer."

Speaking at the signing of the agreement last week, Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said he could not rule out that there would be turbulence when the scheme starts. "It's going to be a big challenge because we have a limited number of vehicles and drivers available, and in a short span of time, these transport providers have to deal with competing demands," he had said.

"I will not rule out initial turbulence until we get the system going, but I am sure that with the cooperation of all involved we will be able to provide the service."

In all, the education ministry projects that around 42,000 students will be using the service - an increase of around 60 per cent on the current numbers. The scheme would lead to a reduction of up to 6,300 private cars on the roads during rush hours, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said last Sunday.

The PM conceded that there may be teething issues given that the project is a complex proposal, however, he maintained that in the long-term the plan would yield positive results. 

Currently there are eight operators who have signed up to provide transport for state schools and 40 operators who have signed up to offer the service to church and private schools.