The journey to school

          Each week day every child in Kazakhstan wakes up in the morning to go school. The journey to school depends on how far away school is. Sometimes, a long distance to school is the only barrier for school children to get education. Urban children have more advantages than their counterparts in rural areas. However, this issue is common and familiar for all. The long distance to school is still challenging for school staff, school students and their parents.

            In one case, schoolstudents from Koyandy village, which is near Astana, had to travel almost 5 kilometersto their school each week day. School students had to wake up as early as at 6 o’clock in order to catch in a bus. There was only one bus for all children. The bus made several trips to transport all children, but if a student were not in the bus he or she had to wait it freezing outside for an indefinite period of time in winter. If they lost the chance to get on the bus they had to walk to the school.

It is really challenging to get to the school by walking for children even for adults. It is especially difficult to do in winter when the temperature is low. Certainly, the issue of inadequate transportation had an influence on students' academic achievements in school. Most students missed their classes because there was no place for them in the bus.

The solution of the problem seems to be clear. The local authorities could provide school students with a second bus and think about this issue in advance. This solution could prevent school children from freezing outside and waiting the bus in winter time. Just imagine how children struggled this problem each week day.

            Sometimes, the way to knowledge can be very dangerous. This happened with school students of 67thschool in Astana every day. The schoolchildren had to cross out Sarybulak river by walking on the thin piece of wood because the school is on other bank. There was no guarantee that children would not fall into the river. Facing this danger became the routine. There was a bridge in distance away; however, it was too far from school. Parents and school staff complain about it to local authorities. However, they were not successful at changing situation.  

            Certainly, local authorities could move this bridge for students in order to shorten the distance to the school. It could facilitate the way to the school and make students’ journey safe. Another solution is to construct a new one in that place so as to shorten their journey.

            A safe journey to school should be accessible for all students all over the country. Students must have all possibilities and facilities for getting school safely. No matter where students live there must be a way to get to school without such dangers and barriers.