RICHMOND, ST Mary — The Japanese Government’s donation of a 29-seater Toyota coaster bus to Richmond Primary and Infant School has been met with gratitude and relief by school administrators and parents.

The initiative was a collaborative effort of the National Education Trust (NET) and Japan’s Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects.

The bus, which was presented to the school on Tuesday, is valued at US$72,489 and will provide transportation for shy of 50 per cent of the 129 students enrolled.

According to Principal Dwight Sanderson, who leads a team of eight teachers, the school now uses a privately owned bus to transport 15 students who are on the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH).

“Now when the bus goes into commission, that number will be increased to 60,” added the elated educator.

Sanderson told the Jamaica Observer that in the five years he has been principal he has looked on with worry as students have been left at the mercy of taxis and poor road conditions.

“My school serves eight communities, with Platfield being the furthest,” said Sanderson as he pointed out that the community is a low income one where most of the parents are unemployed or minimum wage earners and face financial constraints.

“We have students coming from communities that are far from here and the fare is $300 both ways per day; for the week it would be $1,500. Then we have to think about lunch and snacks. It is very difficult for them,” said Sanderson.

“This bus will benefit us tremendously because we are in an area where the children rely heavily on taxis, and sometimes the taxis are so unreliable that the students are left stranded. In addition, the cost is exorbitant, so many times the parents are not able to find the money to cover the fare,” added Sanderson.

The grateful school administrator sees having a school bus as a game changer, as it means they will now be able to embark on more educational excursions.

He gave a commitment that maintenance of the bus will be made a priority as he pleaded for nearby roads to be repaired.

“Some of the roads that the bus will have to traverse on, such as Mount Vernon and Platfield, are in a deplorable condition. If [they are not repaired], the bus, over time, will certainly not last as how we would like it to last,” the principal pointed out.

Although his fifth-grade son will not be using the new school bus, president of the school’s Parent Teacher Association Vincent Minott was also enthusiastic about the donation. He is looking forward to seeing an improvement in students’ punctuality.

“The students who have to rely on the taxi operators are often the victims due to the poor road conditions, especially those who live in the communities of Platfield, Caneheap, Mount Vernon. Oftentimes [they] are late for school or getting home,” Minott told the Observer.

He said the association will play its part in upkeep of the bus.

“Our commitment is that the bus should last long enough for years so other students can benefit from it,” Minott said.

Platfield resident Crystal McDonald, whose son is in grade two, was ecstatic as she noted that he will benefit from the bus.

“I am so happy, I am really overjoyed, as it not only helps with the fare but [shortens] the long wait to get to and from school,” said McDonald.

In her address, during the hand over of the bus, Minister of Education Senator Dr Dana Morris Dixon hailed Japan as a true friend of Jamaica while expressing gratitude for the donation.

“On behalf of the Government and the people of Jamaica, I extend our sincere appreciation to the embassy and the people of Japan for their continued support and generosity. This is beautifully demonstrated through the donation of this 29-seater coaster bus to the Richmond Primary and Infant School. We are no stranger to the generosity of our friends from Japan,” said Morris Dixon.

She noted that the vehicle will contribute to the Government’s formal rural school bus system, which is slated to begin in the 2025/26 academic year.

“As a Government, we recognise that rural transportation challenges have, for far too long, limited the full potential of our students. Access to education should never depend on where you happen to be born,” argued Morris Dixon.

She said the rural school bus system will create a “structured, sustainable, and safe transportation network” for students across rural Jamaica.

The education minister pointed out that phase-one implementation of the rural school bus system is already under way, with the expansion of Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) service to Clarendon, St Thomas, St Mary, and St Catherine.

In phase two, 100 fully refurbished buses will be deployed across various parishes, with 60 beginning service in September this year and 40 in January 2026.

For his part, Japan’s ambassador to Jamaica, Yasuhiro Atsumi, pointed out that 80 per cent of the almost 200 students attending the institution experience “many challenges and obstacles” in accessing reliable transportation to and from school.

“I firmly believe that having an improved transportation system is an absolute requisite given the importance of ensuring that all students can go to and from school by a safer mode of transit. The Government of Japan is pleased to support this project here at Richmond, St Mary,” the ambassador said.

Additional reporting by JIS