simple insight to concession travel-Polytechnic students
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Today's papers highlighted an issue that I think is worth considering.
Polytechnic students don't recieve concession passes for travelling on public transport, and the students find it highly unfair, given that their peers in JC and ITE recieve the concessions. The reasons for not giving concessions are present, such as it contributing to a higher toll on the full-fare working demographic, Polytechnic students being able to find part-time jobs, and them being considered tertiary level students. A blog that was set up by an irate student gained 3000 signatures against the absence of concession travel in just a few hours. ST reported that the number has now balloooned to 10,000.
Firstly, I didn't know that ITE students actually had concessions. I asked my oldest brother on his opinions, and he wasn't so much for the idea of granting concessions to Poly students than he was for criticising the fact that ITE students had the concessions. He cited that, crudely, it all comes down to how the concessions are ultimately going to help the economy in terms of projected returns to the nation, and in that case, ITE students are less deserving of it than the Poly students. While I don't think that harshly, and I don't think the government will ever dare to mention that politically suicidal point, I do agree it is odd that some of my peers are paying the full fares of expensive travel.
However, Polytechnic students do have much more opportunities for Part-time work than JC students, in my opinion, and it is through these jobs that the government possibly thinks will finance the transport expenditure. Still, isn't that the same for ITE students? They too can take up jobs, although I don't know just how free their timetables are. I must note that when it comes to ITE, I know close to nothing of the system. Still, their job prospects are not in direct competition to Poly students, although the Higher NITEC route gives them more higher-skilled positions to seek in future. Thus their opportunity to find jobs to fund their travel aren't that stymied as one would think.
Ultimately, while my conclusion isn't backed up by solid evidence, I still think that Polytechnic students should enjoy some form of concession travel. Perhaps for the first year, after which the concession is voided. This may require some paperwork, but it can strike a balance between the complete absence of concessions and the increased burden on full-fare commuters.
posted by joseph at 12:17 PM