“Yellow buses” fees exhausting students

The high school transport fees is a actual challenge for students’ families, which prompts many of them to search for less expensive alternatives, which reduce financial pressure. While a number of school transport officials and supervisors monitored 10 reasons behind the high fees, most notably the high operating costs, and the dependence of some schools on private transport companies.

In detail, the students of students assured «Emirates Today» that bus fees are constantly increasing, as they are controlled by private school administrations, and their value ranges between 7000 and 15,000 dirhams for one student, which leads them to find appropriate alternatives that include special vehicles that are not equipped, and not controlled.

However, they made it clear that these alternatives do not address the problem, and demanded the strengthening of the role of the competent authorities in organizing school transportation prices, and providing more flexible options for students’ families.

The parents of the students, Mohi Abdel Aziz, Mahmoud Abdullah, Siham Mounir, Hamda Youssef and Hamdan Mohamed, stressed that some private schools have made school transportation service an increasing financial burden, as his fees are in constantly a year after another, the families that include more than one student face a real problem In managing those drawings that seem optional, but it is mandatory if the parents are working.

They added that the high bus fees prompted some families to search for more efficient and less expensive alternatives, so private transport vehicles were less than the school bus fees, as well as the contracted service companies, which provide the transportation service with fees that remain the least of private school bus fees .

A number of school transport officials and supervisors monitored 10 reasons behind the high school transport fees, most notably the high operating costs, and the accreditation of schools on private transport companies. They said that there are three categories of “yellow buses” fees, as they start from 3000 dirhams and reach 15 thousand dirhams in some schools, according to the quality of the school and the curricula that they apply, and the level of their academic fees.

The Emirates Today met a number of school bus supervisors and transport officials in private schools, as Fawzi Mohamed, Wissam Mohi, Mohamed Ramadan and Saji Shaheen explained that the high school transport fees in private schools are due to the high operating costs and the absence of effective control On the fees, the absence of flexible options for the guardian, the variation of prices between schools and regions, the use of school transportation as a means of financial pressure, the increase in the number of students in the bus, the lack of official transportation alternatives, and the rise in prices in a way that exceeds the study fees sometimes.

They stated that school administrations justify the increase in fees with the high costs of maintenance, insurance and fuel, as well as the salaries of drivers, supervisors and school transport officials, and this may be exaggerated, explaining that some private schools impose increases in rates of up to 100% annually without clear justification with each new academic year, What makes censorship need to enhance periodic evaluation mechanisms for school transportation.

They said: «Bus duties differ according to the school site, as some schools impose high fees in the nearby areas, compared to remote areas, which makes some families have to pay exorbitant amounts, and schools also resort to contracting with private transport companies, which leads to not being subjected to control Directly from educational authorities, and thus these companies control prices without adhering to uniform standards.

School transport fees in the field of private education can be divided into three main categories according to the quality of schools and curricula that they apply, and the level of their academic fees, as schools with low to medium fees include schools that apply government curricula or some international curricula at reasonable prices, where transport fees range It has between 3000 and 5,000 dirhams annually, and these schools are often directed to medium -income families, and provide limited transportation options at competitive prices.

As for the second category, it simulates schools with high to high fees: schools that adopt curricula such as the British (IGCSE), the American, or the International Baccalaureate (IB) include relatively high academic fees, where school transport fees ranged between 6000 and 10 thousand dirhams annually, for the quality of additional services Like trained supervisors and advanced tracking systems.

Schools with high and luxurious fees forms the third category that includes schools that target high -end groups, and apply advanced global curricula with high specifications, where transport fees exceed 10 thousand to 15 thousand dirhams annually, given the provision of distinguished transportation services that include advanced amenities and high safety technologies.

The educators, Alia Abdel Aal, Dr. Hussein Muhammadi, Jihan Abdel Aziz, and Dr. Kamal Farhat, stressed: “The results of the high school bus fees take us to increase financial pressure on families, which leads to families resorting to alternative transportation, and increasing dependence on unlicensed transportation.”

They submitted four proposals to address the problem of high bus fees annually, including organizing services according to official controls, establishing a government application for joint school transport, supporting schools for facilitated transport services, providing support or discounts on school transport fees, and taking into account special cases for families.

Various fees

A number of yellow bus supervisors and school transport officials emphasized that the disparity in bus fees reflects the level of services provided and the extent of the well -being of the school, but at the same time it constitutes an additional burden on many families who seek to provide the best education for their children within a reasonable budget.

Students:

. The high bus fees prompt us to find appropriate alternatives that include private, unaccounted, and not controlled vehicles.

School transfer supervisors:

. Some private schools impose increases up to 100% annually without clear justification with each new academic year.