Jordan expands free school transit to aid rural students
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Prime Minister Jafar Hassan of Jordan directed a large increase in the free school bus program for students and teachers in the Southern Badia region.
The expansion will add 3,500 students to the program starting next semester, increasing total student coverage from 9,000 to 12,500. Nearly 900 teachers and school staff will also have access to the free transportation. The program began as a trial at 61 public schools and used 120 buses from private companies.
Officials reviewed the initial results and found that the program reduced student absences and eased financial burdens on families in rural areas by covering all transportation costs. To improve safety and give parents peace of mind, the government plans to launch a mobile app next term. Parents will be able to track buses in real time and view security footage from inside the vehicles.
Based on the success in the Southern Badia, Jordanian administrative teams are now developing plans to extend the free or subsidized transit system to school districts in the central and northern parts of the country.
