Building the Foundations of A LIFELONG LEARNING SOCIETY
SECTION 20
PRACTICAL ISSUES
Q43. Where should responsibility for transport and for lunch vouchers for pupils eligible for free school meals lie?
| FE Sector | School Sector | Others | TOTAL |
Education Authority | 30 | 75.0% | 13 | 39.3% | 4 | 18.2% | 47 | 49.5% |
College | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% | 0 | 0% |
National standardised agreement required | 0 | 0% | 5 | 15.2% | 0 | 0% | 5 | 5.3% |
No comment | 10 | 25.0% | 15 | 45.5% | 18 | 81.0% | 43 | 45.2% |
Further Education Sector
20.1 There was general agreement that responsibility for transport and lunch vouchers should remain with local authorities and schools. Perth College stressed the importance of having common arrangements across Scotland so that rural pupils are not disadvantaged and that clear guidance on this was required from the Funding Council to all authorities. There also should be local arrangements developed for dealing with timetabling issues.
School Sector
20.2 Although most respondents considered that responsibility for transport and lunch vouchers should lie with the education authority and the schools, some felt that responsibility should be split in varying ways between colleges and authorities.
20.3 South Lanarkshire Council remarked that there were inconsistencies and suggested that there should be national agreement on funding arrangements to take care of these practicalities. In particular, there could be a need for additional resources for transport costs particularly in rural areas. Angus Council said that transport of pupils might have greater health and safety implications. It was also suggested that the transport needs of rural areas must be fully considered.
Others
20.4 The EIS and the STUC clearly stated that responsibility for transport and school meals should lie with the education authority and the school.
20.5 The Socialist Educational Association Scotland commented that there should be joint management on a range of issues such as timetabling.