Children living far from schools urgently need transport

Madam – Transport education.

It is amazing how after 20 years of democracy there are still crimes committed against children.

On a daily basis, some children walk more than three kilometres to and from school. As a result, they cannot study optimally because fatigue has taken its toll on them. Thus, when those children get home from school, as exhausted as they are, they still have to execute household chores before doing their homework.

This is not only a transport issue, but rather a crime against humanity. How are these school pupils supposed to matriculate among the best in the country, when facing such insurmountable odds? In Gauteng, Western Cape and other parts of Northern Cape there are scholar transport ensuring no child walks more than three kilometres to school. Hence, the matric results in those provinces are comparatively [better] than [those in] other provinces with no transport availability.

It is about time the Department of Education, the Department of Transport and school governing bodies investigate this problem and provide alternative transport to pupils living far from school. Furthermore, the transport does not have to be buses or taxis. It can be bicycles in order to promote fitness and fight obesity.

Children are the future of South Africa and we all have to play a moral role in cushioning their schooling. Our officials need a rude awakening to realise what they are doing to the future generation.

Sphiwe Khumalo