Xahrejn ilu l-Ministru għall-Edukazzjoni Justyne Caruana kienet ħabbret li se tkun qegħda toħroġ l-Edu Fast Ferry Card. Sal-lum din il-card għadha ma waslitx għand l-istudenti.
Numru ta’ studenti saqsewna meta se tkun qiegħda toħroġ din il-card. Il-GUG jixtieq jiċċara li fl-ebda mument jew perjodu ma ġie ikkonsultat dwar din il-card u dwar meta se tkun qegħda toħroġ. Studenti li bagħtu jistaqsu lill-awtoritajiet responsabbli, qalulhom li l-card qegħda ‘on hold’. Il-GUG bagħat ukoll jistaqsi lill-awtoritajiet dwar dan iżda sal-ħin tal-pubblikazzjoni tal-istqarrija din l-email baqgħet ma tweġbitx. Bgħatna wkoll waħda mill-kumpaniji tal-Fast Ferry li qalulna li din l-iskema qiegħda ‘on hold’ u qalulna biex inkellmu lill-Ministeru għall-Edukazzjoni għal aktar tagħrif. Il-GUG jappella lill-awtoritajiet responsabbli biex din il-card toħroġ kemm jista’ jkun malajr. Il-card ċertament se tnaqqas l-ispejjeż tal-istudenti Għawdxin li jaqsmu bejn iż-żewġ gżejjer għall-edukazzjoni tagħhom.
Il-GUG jerġa’ jappella ukoll biex terġa tiġi introdotta ir-rotta X300. Din kienet rotta diretta bejn l-Imsida u ċ-Ċirkewwa. Ir-rotta kienet twaqqfet meta beda jaħdem is-servizz tal-Fast Ferry. F’ dawn l-aħħar xhur ta’ sikwit qegħdin naraw li l-Fast Ferry ma jaħdimx minħabba r-riħ. L-istudenti jiġu bla għażla iżda jużaw il-Gozo Channel biex jaqsmu lejn id-dar tagħhom jew lejn l-istituzzjoni Edukattiva tagħhom. Studenti li ta’ sikwit jitkellmu magħna jgħidulna li huma anqas ma jużaw il-Fast Ferry għax ikun imqalleb u jagħmlilhom id-deni. L-istudenti Għawdxin jiġu bla għażla u jkollhom jużaw l-X1 li din ta’ sikwit tkun mimlija b’ ħafna nies u l-istudenti Għawdxin jispiċċaw jistennew fuq il-bus stop għall-bus ta’ wara. Minkejja dan kollu l-X1 tieqaf ħafna aktar waqfiet minn dak li kienet tieqaf l-X300.
Il-GUG jerġa jappella lill-awtoritajiet responsabbli biex ma jinsewx l-isfidi tal-istudenti Għawdxin u jerġgħu jagħmlu r-rotta X300 bħalma kienet qabel.
Two months ago, the Minister for Education, Justyne Caruana, had advised that she will be issuing an Edu Fast Ferry Card. Till this very day, the students have not received this card.
Multiple students have asked as when this card will be issued. GUG wishes to make clear, that we were never consulted regards this card nor when it will be issued. Some students asked the responsible authorities themselves, yet the answer was that this card was put ‘on hold’. GUG even sent an email to the respective authorities, yet till this day and time, was left without any response. An email was also sent to the Fast Ferry company who responded with the reply that this project has been put ‘on hold’ and suggested to reach out to the Minister for Education for more information. GUG is also appealing to the responsible authorities, for the card to be issued as soon as possible because this will decrease the financial amount used daily by Gozitan students to commute between the two island, for education purposes.
GUG also appeals for the X300 route to be reintroduced. This route was direct between Imsida and Cirkewwa but was stopped with the introduction of the Fast Ferry. From what could be seen in the last few moths, the Fast Ferry was not possible to operate due to the weather and therefore the only option left for the students is to use the Gozo Channel in order to commute. Some students do not use the Fast Ferry because of the disadvantage of making them sick or because of the weather which makes it less appealing to travel with the Fast Ferry. Therefore the Gozitan students are left with the only option, of using the X1, which most of the time, is jam packed and therefore the student is left with no other option but to remain on the bus stop waiting for the following bus. This also including the fact that X1 has multiple stops along its route, when compared to X300.
GUG wishes to remind the responsible authorities, of the challenges faced by Gozitan students and for the reintroduction of X300, just as things were before.
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