Caretaker ECYS Minister Lyndon Lewis (left) signing a service-level agreement with representatives of a school bus operator.
PHILIPSBURG--Caretaker Minister of Education, Culture, Youth and Sport (ECYS) Lyndon Lewis has signed several service-level agreements (SLAs) with school bus operators in St. Maarten.
According to a press statement on Sunday, these agreements aim to standardise and improve the management of school bus services in the country.
The SLAs reportedly address key issues such as established routes, standards for both buses and drivers, responsibilities regarding bus operations and the supervision of students, and remuneration and insurance requirements.
In addition to the signing of the SLAs, Lewis said he is also pleased that the Council of Ministers has approved the introduction of the so-called Student Transportation Management System.
“This system is designed to bring structure and efficiency to student transportation, which has become increasingly expensive and challenging to control,” according to the press release.
“Over the years, school busing has become costly, averaging over NAf. 4.5 million annually, with the potential to increase. This is largely due to a lack of proper structure and insufficient staff to carry out the necessary controls,” said Lewis.
The new Student Transportation Management System will address these challenges by streamlining the administration and management of school bus services, according to the press release.
However, Lewis said "several administrative processes still need to be completed before the system is fully implemented." He did not discloses what these administrative processes were.
