Great news for students attending post-primary schools run by Bolesławiec County. They may receive significant support as early as the new school year. County authorities are working on a program providing funding for bus travel for young people commuting to secondary schools.
The project is currently in preparation. The local government is collecting data on the number of students who could benefit from such a solution and is also analyzing its financial impact. If everything goes according to plan, the relevant resolution could be adopted as early as the end of June so that the program can begin on September 1.
As the Bolesławiec starosta Tomasz Gabrysiak emphasizes, the idea did not come out of nowhere. During meetings with young people at schools, students drew attention to the costs associated with daily commuting. These comments prompted the start of work on the new solution.
The program is intended primarily for students at schools run by Bolesławiec County, namely general secondary schools, technical schools and vocational schools. In practice, this would mean purchasing tickets for young people using the services of PKS Bolesławiec.
The local government points out that the main beneficiaries are to be residents of Bolesławiec County. They make up the clear majority of students commuting to schools in Bolesławiec. At the same time, the program could also be used by students living in neighboring counties, provided that they attend schools run by the County and use bus services operated by it.
The Head of the County Board explains that the project has not only a social but also a strategic dimension. Its aim is to maintain the attractiveness of county schools in a situation where the number of students is steadily declining. The local government wants to preserve the current educational offering and maintain the high standard of teaching for which schools in Bolesławiec County are known throughout the voivodeship.
According to the program’s initiators, investing in education remains one of the local government’s most important tasks. Free transport could become another form of support for young people and families while also encouraging students to choose schools run by the County.
A final decision on the program should be made before the summer holidays. If councilors approve it, the first students could use free transport from the beginning of September. We will return to the subject.