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The Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area (LIELCDA) has launched a free bus service that will serve over 1,000 students from 31 public schools in the area.
The bus service, which began on the 8th of January, consisted of a 30-seater coaster bus and 10 minibuses (7 seaters each). It operates from 6 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. for the morning commute and 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. for the return journey.
*A similar scheme kicked off in Ojodu LCDA last year, providing bus services to students and pupils commuting to their schools in the area and cushioning the effect of the removal of fuel subsidy for parents. It was hailed as a relief for many, who applauded the council chair for his thoughtfulness.
Vice Chairman of the Lagos Island East LCDA, Hon. Monsurat Oluwatosin Balogun, who spoke with The Record, said the new initiative in the council is aimed at providing relief for students who depend on public transport for their daily commute.
“We did this to ease the burden on students and parents”, she said. “We have been providing 80% subsidy on food for 12 months now, and we thought it’s not only food… so we decided to extend our support to education”.
The Record gathered that the buses make 7-8 trips for morning and afternoon periods each. But officials say it will operate as many times as possible.
The coaster bus, which takes up to 70 pupils per trip, primarily serves students travelling to schools located in Osborne and Obalende, including Wahab Folawiyo High School and Government College.
The minibuses operate from various pick-up locations within the LCDA, including Sura, Tinubu Square, Ita-faji Market, Tokunbo, and Oyebanji bus stops.
When The Record visited the Sura pick-up station on Thursday afternoon, the students expressed delight at the newfound ease of their daily commute, their chatter and laughter filling the air.
One student, Temilade Johnson (name changed to protect student’s identity) from Epetedo Junior Secon dary School, who spends 400 naira daily on transportation, told The Record he was excited about the school bus because it relieves his parents of the pangs of skyrocketing transport fares.
“Sometimes, when my mummy does not have money, I would have to trek. But now I can rely on the free school bus”, he said.
The Record also confirms that the Executive Chairman of the LCDA Hon. Muibi Alade, his deputy, and other officials were on the ground between January 8 and 11 to personally assess the operation of the buses and address any hiccups.
Due to the high number of students, the authorities released their cars and mobilized the LCDA staff bus to ensure that all students were transported safely and no one was left behind. A few days later, Hon. Muibi Alade announced plans to expand the initiative before the end of the year.
*The story has been updated to reflect that Ojodu LCDA has a similar free bus scheme.