By Sue-Ann Wayow
FOR the academic year 2021/2022, the Public Service Transport Corporation (PTSC) was paid $1.2 million for school transportation.
This was revealed by Government Senator Paula Gopee-Scoon during a Senate sitting on Wednesday.
In an urgent question to the Minister of Education, Opposition Senator Wade Mark asked, “Given the impasse between the Association of Maxi Taxi School Transport Concessionaires (AMTSTC) and the Ministry of Education on the resumption of the school transport service, can the Minister state what actions are being taken to rectify this situation?”
The first day of the third term in the academic year began on Tuesday for all pupils from Early Childhood Care and Education (ECCE) centres to secondary school level.
Acting in the position as Leader of Government Business, Gopee-Scoon replied, “The school transportation services are managed by the Ministry of Education in collaboration with the PTSC. For term three in the academic year, 2021/2022, these services began in Trinidad on April 19, 2022, the full routes being services.
“The PTSC is actively sourcing drivers for additional routes and has indicated that by the end of next week, most if not all routes would be serviced once drivers are available. The Ministry of Education has remitted $1.2 million in payment to the PTSC in this academic year for school transport services and the remaining invoices totalling $184,000 are being processed for payment.”
Mark further asked if outstanding payments to the AMTSTC would be met and Gopee-Scoon said, “From all indications and as I have it, all payments outstanding would in fact be covered and this is for the school transportation services.”
