Education
With regard to the phased-in return of learners to schools on 1 June:
- Whether she or her Department has been in communication with the South African Bus Operators Association and/or other learner transport service providers regarding the resumption of learner transport and the remuneration methods for bus operators; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether her Department has made arrangements with learner transport service providers with regard to ways to prevent spread of COVID-19 in learner transport; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether, with regard to payments for learner transport, her Department plans to pay per learner per kilometre; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details;
- whether she and her Department are aware of the detrimental effect that paying per learner per kilometre would have on the service providers’ businesses; if not, why not; if so, what measures are in place to support the learner transport service providers?
(1) Directions by the Minister of Transport in terms of the Disaster Management Act, (Regulations issued in terms of Disaster Management Act 2002 (Act no 57 of 2002), have placed certain restrictions on the maximum capacity allowed in respect of public and scholar transport.
These restrictions have an effect on all the WCED’s Learner Transport Scheme (LTS) contracts, specifically in respect of the maximum passenger load carrying capacity per classification of vehicle. There are also specific safety and hygiene requirements for buses, such as cleaning and sanitation, physical distancing, and the wearing of masks.
The WCED engaged with the South African National Small Bus Operators Council (SANSBOC) and the Southern African Bus Operators Association (SABOA) about the implementation of these strict measures, as well as the costs involved in adhering to them.
- Learner Transport will resume on 1 June 2020, starting with LTS routes that have a minimum total carrying load of at least 3 learners.
- An amended remuneration structure will be implemented from 1 June 2020. This will be valid for the period 1 June 2020 to 6 July 2020, or until other grades are reintroduced into schools. This is in line with the Directions issued in terms of Regulation 4(3) of Regulations made under the Disaster Management Act, 2002 (Act no. 57 of 2002).
- Bus operators will implement cleaning procedures in line with the applicable legislation and the measures outlined in the directions to prevent and combat the spread of Covid-19 in the transport sector. The provision of sanitisers is the responsibility of the bus operator and should be supplied and made available for both drivers and learners.
(2) The Director-General of the national Department of Transport has committed to providing PPEs for the Learner Transport Programme, and initial provisions have been received.
A Standard Operating Procedure has also been issued for the cleaning and sanitising of learner transport service vehicles. Posters displaying a toll-free number will be placed in each vehicle to report unsafe practices or non-compliance with safety measures.
A new Operator Compliance Checklist will be issued for bus operators to complete before and after every trip, which principals and district LTS co-ordinators will need to sign off.
(3) The Western Cape Education Department (WCED) procures dedicated learner transport services to transport learners over approved return distances. The following factors are taken into account to determine the cost of the service: The number of learners X The total distance X The rate per kilometer X the number of days.
The WCED District Offices have informed schools of the routes that were active from 1 June 2020. The numbers of Gr 7 and 12 learners on all of the existing routes and the approved return distance for each LTS contract were considered when determining which routes to activate. This is based on captured CEMIS data provided by schools, and validated by the relevant LTS coordinators in the district offices on the basis of monthly invoicing and expenditure reports.
In the singular instances where a Grade 12 learner may be affected as a result of the agreed minimum load, the WCED will ensure that these learners are not disadvantaged, and will discuss a solution with the school on a case by case basis.
- The WCED’s proposal to fix the number of learners at a portion of the capacity (up to 90% of full capacity) of the smallest vehicle(s) required by the LTS operator to transport the reduced number of learners, as per the existing contract tariff in each specific operator’s contract, was accepted by the bus operators. This solution is limited to the following conditions:
- “Smallest vehicle” refers to the vehicle with the least seating capacity as registered for the transport operator to use on the routes specified in the contract.
- No vehicle should be loaded to more than the regulated capacity restriction placed on that vehicle class as per the Covid-19 Regulations and Directions published by the national Minister of Transport (refer to Government Gazette No.43272 Vol. 659 of 4 May 2020)
3. The valid period of the amended remuneration structure proposed is from 1 June 2020 and only for the period that Grades 7 and 12 are the only grades back at schools, in line with the public announcement by the Minister of Basic Education.
