School bus services for Pei Chun, Cedar terminated abruptly
The school bus services of Pei Chun Public School and Cedar Primary School were terminated without advance notice.
Parents of pupils attending Pei Chun were notified on Nov 3 that the school bus service had been terminated with immediate effect and that there would be a temporary transportation service from for Nov 4-13.
During the interim period, the school will also provide parents with a WhatsApp contact number to address any questions they have about the temporary school bus services.
The school also announced on its website on the morning of Nov 3 that the school would cancel co-curricular activities to prioritise school pick-up and drop-off services. Only the Chinese Dance Troupe, Science and Gardening Club, and Wushu Group activities would carry one as usual.
Pei Chun principal Ong Lee Choo told Lianhe Zaobao that the pick-up times may be delayed as the temporary bus drivers are unfamiliar with the routes.
She added that parents do not have to pay for the temporary pick-up and drop-off services, and that the school will have a new school bus operator next year.
A school bus operator claimed that the bus company owed the employees their wages.
"We did not receive the school bus fees for September and October," said the operator, adding that the operators tried calling the bus company after the death of its chairman.
"At first, the employees told us that they would definitely pay us and hoped that we would continue to support them. But last week, when we called again, no one answered the phone."
The bus company on Oct 25 announced the death of its chairman.
The school bus operator was owed approximately $50,000 in unpaid school bus fees for September and October.
"Since the chairman is dead, we are prepared to resolve the debt issue through legal means, but it is still a mystery whether the company has the money."
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