New school buses for polish schools

Ceremony of handover to Lithuania’s local governments 42 new schoolbuses took place on wednesday, 28th August in Vilnius, on Simonad Daukantas square near to Presidential Palace. This year, three vehicles will be given to polish schools in Vilnius district.

Headmasters of lithuanian schools were handed keys to new yellow buses, caps for drivers with Ministry of Education logo and fluorescent bands for students. In event participated president of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė and minister of education and science Dainius Pavalkis.

– Yellow colour of buses resembles our lithuanian sun and I would really like it to shine for our children every day, regardless of the weather. – greeted gathered people president Dalia Grybauskaitė. – This year we give you 42 buses (there are over 600 of them in whole country). Every commune will receive this wonderful gift. I’m glad that buses will not only help pupils get into the school, but also will be an integrating aspect.

Buses costed Ministry of Education and Science 5 millions litas. New vehicles „Iveco daily” have 19 seats, they’re created for driving children from reorganised village schools to other, closest educational institutions. Some of the buses are designed for students with special needs.

– It’s hard to imagine Lithuania without yellow buses nowadays – said Minister of Education and Science Dainius Pavalkis. — There are a lot of them. This year we have improved vehicles, suitable for handicapped people. They have amplified protective systems and better lights. In next year’s budget we’re also planning on buying similar amount of school buses. I think that next year we can make another celebration.

Yellow school buses will be given to 3 polish schools. Headmasters of secondary schools in Mickūnai and  Zujūnų are enjoying gifts:

– Until now our school didn’t have own bus – told us headmaster of  Mickūnai secondary school Małgorzata Radziewicz – We had a contract with coach terminus of Vilnius district.

– Undoubtedly own school bus is necessary, because almost half of our students lives not directly in Mickūnai, but in surroundings. It will also be very helpful for us if we will have to make a trip or reach other place for cultural events. When we hadn’t have bus, we had to organise transport on our own. Now it will be more comfortable. We already hired a driver. We really are very glad to have the new bus!

– This vehicle is safer and faster so travelling gets more comfortable. – said headmaster of Zujūnų secondary school, Marek Pszczołowski – Problem of children who don’t have other possibility to get to school at last will be solved. Contacts with other schools, both in Lithuania and Poland, will also be easier.

Also Jan Śniadecki’s middle school in Šalčininkai got a yellow school bus. During this school year in Lithuania, thanks to 645 vehicles 22 thousand pupils will be safely transported to schools. Means of transport are bought and given to local governments since year 2000.

In year 2013 a yellow bus will also go to Darius and Girenas’ lithuanian school in polish village Puńsk.

Source: http://kurierwilenski.lt/2013/08/28/nowe-szkolne-autobusy-trafia-do-polskich-szkol/

Tłumaczenie by Aleksandra Szcześniak w ramach praktyk w Europejskiej Fundacji Praw Człowieka, www.efhr.eu. Translated by Aleksandra Szcześniak within the framework of a traineeship programme of the European Foundation of Human Rights, www.efhr.eu.