Students who have been waiting for government-funded bus cards for months could face further uncertainty as Term 3 approaches, with concerns raised in Parliament over delays in the National Transport Assistance Scheme.
The issue was raised in Parliament today following a question to the Minister for Education, Aseri Radrodro, about how the Ministry plans to ensure government funded student cards are topped up on time in the future.
Radrodro says that eligible students must apply for transport assistance through their schools before the beginning of each school year.
He says applications are then assessed and verified by school heads before being processed by the Ministry.
Radrodro says for existing students, blue bus cards are expected to be topped up automatically during Terms 2 and 3.
The Ministry says cards are topped up twice each term, covering Weeks 1 to 7 and Weeks 8 to 14.
The Minister says delays could result from incomplete applications or information not being submitted and verified within the required timeframe.
He asked Opposition MP Hem Chand to provide the Ministry with a list of affected students and their details so the cases could be investigated and processed.
The Minister also reminded students to keep their cards safe.
Students who lose or damage their cards must apply for a replacement through their school and have the replacement activated through the Ministry's FEMIS system.
Radrodro says the Government has allocated $54 million in the 2026–27 Budget for student transport assistance. The programme supports more than 70,000 students through blue bus cards and more than 44,000 students through Rural Service Licences.
With Term 3 approaching, the immediate concern remains whether students who have already applied but are still waiting for their cards will receive them in time to avoid further transport costs for their families.
