–scores of students cash in on free transportation

THE new Academic Year 2017/2018 saw schoolchildren from north Georgetown being afforded the opportunity to be transported to areas closest to their schools at no cost, thanks to the David ‘G’ school buses.
For those children from North and South Ruimveldt attending secondary school, the bus was parked at the junction of Well and Aubrey Barker Roads from 07:00 hours to await their arrival.
It departed at 07:30 hours, travelling along Mandela Avenue, on to Homestretch Avenue, then along Croal Street with the final stop being at the Metro Building at the corners of Croal and Smyth Streets, in the city.

On school days, the bus will make three drops daily, between the hours of 07:30 to 10:30hrs, and in the afternoons as well.
Many students were surprised to learn that the bus ride was free, and that the vehicle will be available in the afternoons to take them home.

Shakieda Emanuel of North Georgetown Secondary applauded the government during an interview with the Department of Public Information (DPI).
“This is very nice of the President,” she said. “Doing it will help us save our parents money. I am very happy and proud, and it will help me get to school on time to start my classes.”
Samuel Pickering of St. Joseph High echoed similar sentiments. “It’s nice that President Granger set up this bus for us secondary school children, because I know many of us like to lime at the park. It’s really good of him, because it can help us save money and to reach to school on time,” Pickering posited.

Olesha Carter of St. Roses High said the initiative by the David Granger Administration is “a good one,” as she will no longer have to wait long hours before getting a bus to get to school. This means, she said, that she will now will now have a little extra money to buy lunch. “I think President Granger has really outdone himself with this initiative, and I am grateful for the school transportation this morning,” Carter said.
“I can save at least $120 a day, and I think that is very good; at least I could have more money to buy lunch, and even some savings for when I get older… That way, I can get a job off my own with my distinctions and Grade Ones,” said Danielle Carter of East Ruimveldt Secondary.

Bus driver, Orin Daniels said he feels a certain pride in being tasked with transporting the children. A driver for the last ten years, Daniels said he jumped at the opportunity, as he saw it as a way of giving back.
“When it comes to children and getting education,” he said, “I have a deep conviction about that. I have been driving bus for 10 years, and I see all what goes on; and it hurts my heart plenty of times to see children liming; children ain’t going to school; people children coming on the bus and saying they ain’t get money to go home. “So I think this is a very good initiative by His Excellency, and I hope that the children and their parents take full advantage of it, because it will save them a lot; both parents and child.”
President David Granger, on August 21, commissioned three new 35-seater buses, which will be used to convey schoolchildren in the north and south areas of Georgetown, under his Five ‘Bs’ programme, namely the Boats, Buses, Bicycles plus Breakfast and Books initiative.

The President, at the commissioning of the buses said, “We see education as the gateway to the good life. We see that by providing these buses, boats and bicycles that we will improve access to schools; we will improve attendance, and in so doing, we will see improved achievement.
“We want to see ‘A’ students; and those are the ‘A’s we are working towards today: Access, attendance and achievement.”
President Granger promised the government’s commitment towards ensuring that every Guyanese child has access to an education. He said the buses will not just be transporting schoolchildren, but our future engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs and pioneers.