I need to tell you 1 thing about Mount St. Patrick that the transport facility is optional, but the admin of the school who has his own fleet of buses make sure that everyone who gets admission falls in the bus route. Also, it seems the admin is more authoratative than the school principal. Rest, the school and management is good as far as fees and other facilities are concerned. You can say one of the best schools in the Lohegaon area (18000 rs annual fees). I do not know how can a school authority allow their employees to become contractor for the school. Even if someone complaints about rash driving, the complaint is going to be handled by the admin, the same person……

Mount St. Patrick has transport facility which is optional. It is not compulsory for parents to opt for the transport. If parents want, they can arrange for their own transport. The school fees is not inclusive of transport. The bus owner is also the admin person of the school who looks after other maintenance services also. I want to say that if in case of rash driving, if we complain, will the school authority listen? Because we are going to call the admin, who himself is the bus owner. In that case, he will just ask driver not to drive rash.

Another thing is that, when you pay the fees, the school staff need to tell you that there are various option you can take for transport. But they will say it only when you ask them. But it has been observed that whenever a person pays the fees and starts to walk out of the school, this admin person is standing at the main hall exit and asks every parent to pay the transport fees in the transport office. Now, the parents feel that it is compulsory to take the school bus from that provider itself. Now, if you stay just 3 km from the school and you have different providers at your place, then you have the options, but this guy does not allow you to take other transport.

I would have given you my identity, but as my 2 kids are studying in that school, that is why I cannot show my identity. I request other parents who are seeking admission to Mount St. Patrick school that they be aware of this issue. No harm in using his bus, if you have no other options.

Lastly, if you want to take admission to Mount St. Patrick School, if you stay in nearby areas where the admin’s buses ply, you will get first preference. I hope I am clear. I wanted to reveal my identity, but I am scared about 2 kid’s future. Other than this transport thing, I am 100% satisfied with the school. It is one of the best school in lohegaon area with so low fee structure.

Thanks all.

Mt st patrick is a good school. Their office staff is very cooperative and welcoming. The school is very neat and tidy with a huge campus and playground.

My 2 kids are in that school from last 4 years.

As you said that we should take the problem to the appropriate management person, which I did. Actually, I just wanted to make people aware about the incidents which happened with me. It was my mistake that I did not realize that I should talk to the management about transport. I just was misguided as I had no awareness at that time and there was not a single question in my mind about the transport.

When I complained, the school management did speak to that guy. They did what they can do. Next day, i got to know that if i want to take my kid off of the bus, then I can do as they are not dependent on my kid.

So, just wanted to make parents aware so in first place, they do not get into this situation at least.

Request to all parents, please do not encourage those transport providers who charge the fee quarterly or half yearly or annually. These are the people who are going to exploit us more than school.

Instead, you can plan for a PMPML luxury school bus if you have 10-15 kids in your area at half the rate of these providers. You can see the PMPML bus website for details.

Just was reading today’s newspaper and saw what I feared the most. It was an article regarding school transport being made compulsory, but this time, it was made by the government body, and not the schools themselves.

If government is so much concerned about the student safety, then why did not they ask PMPML buses to take contract of schools, which already is in losses. Even PMPML have luxury school buses. Why they are making it compulsory and encouraging businesses of private bus operators with the common man’s money , who afterall are going to work for money only, risking the life of student. Now, school authorities will use this as a tool to exploit money from us.

Thank you Madhuri. Right now, I am out of Pune for some office assignment (in Jaipur). I will try to help you out with those things which are in my hands.

The idea is good for those schools where rich kids are there, because rich parents can stand against the transport authorities and parents are also aware of the law and legalities.

In Lohegaon based schools, it is quite difficult, because if the transport providers come to know about this, they will try to do it differently. They are local landlords who have tie-up with schools.

I hope someone, if not me, connects with you for this issue and hopefully many middle class parents understand what will happen if this rule is made compulsory. There were incidents of rash driving and accidents, which had not come to limelight and those files have been closed due to political pressure. You might remember the case of Amanora –viman nagar route bus, where 1 kid died. There are many small cases which are not heard.

Suppose they make it compulsory, then still there are few questions in my mind.

Is the bus going to wait for every kid, if the kid is late. If not, then how that kid will go to the school?

Is there any authority which is monitoring per kilometer charges on these contractors?

Is there any time limit given to these contractors that a kid should be dropped and picked up within so and so timings? Eg. A kid staying at 5-km should be dropped within 10 minutes or like that.

Are these contractors not liable to go for strikes whenever their union asks them to?

Maybe these contractors later on create a pressure on parents to pay whatever charges they ask for.

Also, the PMPML thing is good as we both think, but I think many parents do not trust government based services.

and many more questions are in mind….will write later.

I wish you all the best for taking this issue.

Hi, today I saw Mount St. Patrick school buses in the morning. In every bus, you could see 10-15 students standing, and rest sitting uncomfortably. How can parents pay for this? I feel this is not a fault of school or the bus contractor. It is totally the parents’ fault.

Ms. Nidhi, the situation is better nowadays that at least you can see only 15 students standing. Earlier, there were only few buses which used to ply and students were loaded like anything on the bus. School has given the responsibility of transport to their school admin who is a retired military official. If you approach to him and tell him about the situation, he will reply everything in a military-diplomatic way. He will take most of the parents to his side and say “apne ghar jaisa hain, tension mat lo.” Most importantly, 95% of the parents really do not have problems the way you said as they have no options, either in every household both parents are working and have no option of thinking about the comfort of their kid’s transport. They are somehow just thinking about their acacdemics and let the year pass and so on. Only few parents like me had some problem, but slowly we get adjusted to it as we really had no other options here. I like the school very much and the school is really helping middle class families like me for educating my kid in English medium school. The school staff is very cooperative and kind. Also, the principal can be approached any time available for any problems. The school trust is doing very good job of educating people and doing a nice social work. The school is huge with huge grounds and very disciplined wherever necessary. Good sports instructors are there.