COIMBATORE: Around 25 tribal students from two hamlets in Thondamuthur are forced to walk for 3 km to reach the government high school in Nathegoundenpudur as TNSTC has not resumed services in the route since the lockdown.
Residents have urged the district administration to take steps to resume the TNSTC bus S59, which plies from Gandhipuram to Valayankuttai, considering the welfare of the students.
R Selvaraj, a parent said, “Two hamlets, Valayankuttai and Moongilmadaikuttai, are located at a distance of 3 km from the high school in Nathegoundenpudur village near Alandurai and the children have to walk to the school as the only bus which was plying there is yet to resume after the pandemic. The children used to take the bus at 8.30 am and return at 5 pm using the bus. But now with the bus being non-operational, the students have to walk to and back from the school, due to which they get tired. This ultimately affects their studies as well,” he said.
A teacher from the school told TNIE, “Many times, the students don’t turn up for school due to lack of transport facility. Especially, female students suffer during their menstruation and their education is affected due to this.” She pointed out that school education department has facilitated transport-escort to the primary school located near the hamlets and urged the officers to arrange similar facility for the high school students as well.
When contacted, District Educational Officer for secondary K Rajasekarapandiayan said, “We will take necessary action to solve this issue.” TNSTC Coimbatore general manager S Senthil Kumar said that he will look into this issue.