The President of Saint Lucia’s National Council on Public Transportation (NCOPT) has requested that the government provide transportation to students with disabilities to facilitate their attendance at school.
Recently, the mother of student Bella Emmanuel pleaded for help for the twelve-year-old who cannot walk.
On Monday, Bella began attending the Castries Comprehensive Secondary (CCSS).
However, her mother explained that it was difficult to get her daughter, who uses a wheelchair, to school every day.
NCOPT President Godfrey Ferdinand told St Lucia Times he had contacted the Ministry of Education to receive a “specialised vehicle” for transporting students with disabilities safely to school.
” “I’ve sent a message to the Minister of Education on that, so we can have a meeting to see how we can address that,” the NCOPT President explained.
“We’ve been thinking of a way to assist, in terms of reaching out to the government to see if they could get a specialized vehicle to provide services, not just for Bella,” Ferdinand stated.
He noted that obtaining the required vehicle would not occur overnight, but hopefully by the next school term.
“I’m hoping that by the second term, we will be able to assist, because if we were to bring a vehicle in right now, it would take about three months,” Ferdinand said
“So we first have to sit in the government to see the way how we will be able to assist in that particular area,” the NCOPT official told St. Lucia Times.
He spoke of the urgent need to address the transport needs of students with disabilities.
In addition, Ferdinand noted that because Saint Lucia is a developing state, building construction needs to make accommodations for persons with disabilities.
Ferdinand felt there was insufficient urgency regarding such matters.
Nevertheless, he was hopeful that this would change.
Transportation for disabled students is a complex and expensive, albeit necessary, endeavor. School districts in the United States are required by law to provide appropriate transportation for all disabled students. The cost can be tens of thousands of dollars each year per student to do it safely.
Please reach out to folk in the US – perhaps you can receive an access a ride vehicle ..
(People with disabilities that prevent them from using public transit in New York City utilize what is called the Access A Ride vehicle)
You would need to train the driver as is comes with ramps which need to be engaged and disengaged.