A NANGWARRY parent whose children attend Mary MacKillop Memorial School has welcomed the State Government’s public consultation investigating whether non-government students should be allowed back onto public school buses.
Nangwarry parent Rachel Manninen, whose two sons Joshua and James travel 15km to the Penola school each day, was informed in early 2018 her children would not be eligible to catch the bus to and from school.
Ms Manninen was among a number of families at private schools across the South East – including Mary MacKillop, St Anthony’s Catholic Primary School and Tenison Woods College – denied access to the local school bus last year.
Although Ms Manninen’s sons had used the bus since 2015 – and in most cases, the bus travels past their school – they had to organise alternate means of transport.
After almost two terms of driving her sons from their home near Nangwarry to Penola, her sons were able to board the bus after a family left the school.
“In term three we received notification for Penola High School there were places on the bus and the boys were on until the end of the year,” Ms Manninen said.
“In week eight of term four, they again informed us there were no eligible places for 2019.”
The current school transport policy offers school bus access to public and private students who meet specific eligibility criteria.
Students residing five kilometres or more from their nearest appropriate government school are eligible for transport assistance to that school.
Although public school principals are able to grant private students permission to use a school bus, public students get priority.
The government’s consultation will ask regional community members to consider “what impacts may occur if government school buses stop at non-government schools”.
Vehicles could also be available for community use, with the government floating moving the responsibility for their management from the Education Department to the Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure.
Ms Manninen said her family would be making a submission to the State Government in support of placing non-government students on the bus.
“I have read the Liberal Party’s policy and what they are planning to do which is a good start,” she said.
“Hopefully the policy changes.
“It is very frustrating seeing the bus go straight past our on the highway.”
Education Minister John Gardner encouraged anyone affected by or with an interest in how school bus services are run to contribute to the conversation.
“We want this review of bus services to inform the best mechanism for this, as regional students should have reasonable access to transport as they do in the city,” he said.
“This consultation will allow the public to have a say in ensuring consistent school transport for all regional students.”
Visit yoursay.sa.gov.au to comment on before February 15.
