The Maria Holder Memorial Trust has donated a second specially equipped school bus to expand transportation options for students with special needs in Saint Lucia.
The first bus, delivered in 2023, serves pupils at the Dennery Childhood Development Centre. The newly donated vehicle, equipped with wheelchair accessibility and other necessary accommodations, will be stationed at the Donato School, an institution for special education.
Minister for Education Shawn Edward expressed his support for the initiative, highlighting the importance of ensuring all students have access to a high-quality education.
“We are very committed to giving our students the best educational experience in this country, irrespective of the child’s station in life,” he said.
He also praised the Maria Holder Memorial Trust for retrofitting the bus, noting that the total cost of procuring and equipping the vehicle was approximately $425 000.
“That is money well spent,” he added, emphasising the significance of investing in the future of students with special needs.
Parliamentary Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Pauline Antoine-Prospere, highlighted the broader benefits of the donation. She noted that the new bus would increase school attendance among differently-abled students while alleviating financial strain on low-income families.
She said it would help by “saving low-income families money and time, engaging safe and unharassed transfer of students to and from school, thus increasing the chances of them meeting learning targets and experience overall improved well-being”.
Peter Symmonds, Trustee at the Maria Holder Memorial Trust, explained that the donation was part of the organisation’s ongoing efforts to remove barriers to education for children with disabilities.
“The vehicles were requested and needed due to the issues faced by many families with special needs. Lack of transportation, in my view, should never be a determining factor in whether a child is able to attend school,” he said.
This latest donation is part of the Maria Holder Memorial Trust’s ongoing commitment to enhancing educational opportunities for children with disabilities.
Great initiative – we need more of this kind of generosity in St Lucia, and the Government needs to come to the party more often too!
Bravo! Bravo! St.Lucia
This is a great initiative! But I have one question though. What about us adults living with disabilities? It is a real struggle for us how do we get around?