Angry parents queue outside ministry’s HQ

HUNDREDS of frustrated parents crowded outside the Education Ministry headquarters in Suva yesterday to get their children’s subsidised eTransport school bus cards topped up.

Some parents described the service that was offered to them at Waisomo House as “inconvenient and inconsistent”.

A handful of high school students who were also present claimed they could not use their subsidised eTransport school bus cards yesterday morning as they had to first renew and activate their bus cards.

Dozens of parents had to line up for an hour and were later advised to fill forms and take them back to their children’s school before they could get their children’s bus card topped up.

Akenaita Tavaita was among frustrated parents yesterday.

Ms Tavaita said two of her children had lost their subsidised eTransport school bus cards so she had to travel from Nasinu to the ministry to try and get it sorted.

She said the process was long as they had to fill out a form, deliver it to the school their children attended and get it signed by the head school and also by a certified Justice of the peace (JP).

The mother of four said this was a long process and it could have been easier if the ministry had the student’s school inform them. She said parents were given a short time to get their children’s bus card sorted.

A week before school commenced, parents and students were advised by the ministry that they could top-up their bus cards from Vodafone outlets and also e-ticketing kiosks at Suva, Nausori and Nadi.