Review school fees charged during holidays

I refer to the letter “Likening advance school bus fees to room rents illogical” (Dec 20). Having to pay for school bus services in June and December is a reality that parents find hard to accept.

The amount school bus operators can charge is generally restricted by the schools. Would an operator want to run school bus services that do not earn revenue in June and December?

For sustainability, operators have long factored the costs during school holidays into the contract.

These terms are made known to parents before they engage a bus service and those who disagree are free to make alternative arrangements for their children.

With a lack of drivers, rising insurance costs and more single-session primary schools — 155 of 190 schools next year — many operators may no longer find it viable to carry on, even with the advance fee for school holidays.

A single session means drivers make two daily trips instead of four. Some operators have decided to stop their school bus services and ferry factory workers instead.

While I can appreciate the situation the operators are in, I cannot understand why the Education Ministry charges school fees and miscellaneous fees during the holidays.

These are mostly deducted via Giro, hence parents generally do not feel the pinch.

The ministry should review this and abolish the holiday fees if they are not justifiable.