Andrew Loh / Deputy Editor
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Calling it a “sustained and concerted campaign on all fronts”, 10 students from the polytechnics are leading a “national initiative” for more affordable public transport fares for polytechnic and tertiary students.
“We are displeased that polytechnic [and] tertiary students are unfairly required to pay as much as 89 per cent more in terms of transport fares than their peers in JCs and ITEs,” says Bernard Chen, a student of Temasek Polytechnic and one of the 10 students leading the campaign. In a time of rising inflation and cost of living, he says that this places an unnecessary burden on their parents too.
“We are surprised that transport operators choose to discriminate based on a “man-made” label; tertiary and non-tertiary,” says the group of 10, referring to the different level of fares for students from different educational institutions.
The campaign, called “National Petition for Fairer Transportation Fares for Polytechnic/ Tertiary Students”, has an ambitious target – to get between 30,000 and 100,000 “actual signatures” of support. “Anyone from students – past, present and future – parents, educators, and ordinary Singaporeans, young and old, can participate in this student-initiated petition,” says Bernard, who is 23 years old.
Bug-bear
So, what is it exactly that they are so unhappy about?
In its petition, the group compares the fares paid by students in the junior colleges and the Institutes of Technical Education, with those paid by students in the polytechnics and the universities. Under the Travel Concession Scheme for students, they can choose between three choices of passes – the Bus Concession Pass, the Train Concession Pass and the Hybrid Concession Pass.
These can be used subject to different conditions. For polytechnic students, they are as follows:
Bus Concession Pass – $52/month, unlimited bus concession travel on basic fare bus services for one month.
Train Concession Pass – $45/month, up to 4 rides per day on the MRT/LRT for one month.
Hybrid Concession Pass – $97/month, unlimited bus concession travel on basic fare bus services for one month and up to 4 rides per day on the MRT/LRT for one month.
“This is in sharp contrast to the amount junior college (JC) students and students from the Institutes of Technical Education (ITE) are paying to purchase the same concession passes under the same terms of use,” says the group.
For JC and ITE students, the same concession passes cost $27.50, $25 & $52.50 respectively.
“The percentage difference in prices ranges from 80 per cent to 89 per cent,” they say. And therein lies the unhappiness for the polytechnic students - the issue of fairness between different groups of students.
“On some months I even have to ask [my parents] for extra money as I do not have enough for transportation fees,” says Lena Ng, 19. For 18-year old Ashraf, who has four siblings in a single-parent family, the burden is especially heavy. “My dad passed away a few years ago leaving my mum as the sole breadwinner in the family,” he says. “We spend a minimum of $350 a month just on transportation alone – and that’s a lot!”
“We feel it is grossly unfair for polytechnic/ tertiary students’ to pay as much as 89 per cent more in terms of transport fares than their peers in the JCs and the ITEs,” the students say. “This also constitutes a heavy financial burden for families; especially those lower, middle income ones with at least a child in a polytechnic or tertiary institution.” They added that “at a time of belt-tightening in expenditure, every little concession will go a long way to cut expenses for households already strapped with high living costs.”
The group, in an interview with The Online Citizen, said that the issue had been brought up before – with a minister.
Students at a polytechnic forum had previously raised this issue with Dr Vivian Balakhrishnan, the Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports. “It was even reported in the news,” says Bernard, “but nothing changed.”
This time, the students intend to take the issue up with the Public Transport Council, the Ministry for Transport, the Government Parliamentary Committee for Transport, Members of Parliament and even the Prime Minister, once they “have achieved a critical mass of signatures.”
“We are proposing that Transitlink look into establishing a concession price bandwidth from which a concession fare is established, of between 0 – 60% for the various student groups respectively; polytechnics, universities (NUS, NTU, SMU, SIM) and private educational institutions,” the group explains. If the authorities accept their proposal, polytechnic students will pay between $13.75 and $31.40 less for their concession passes (based on the 25 per cent fare bandwidth). University and private educational institutions students will also see reductions in their fares.
Nation-wide campaign
To achieve their target of between 30,000 to 100,000 signatures for the petition, the group intends to fan out in the various institutions to spread the word. The students are calling for support from their peers in the five polytechnics – Nanyang, Ngee Ann, Singapore, Republic and Temasek – and the National University of Singapore, the Nanyang Technological University and the Singapore Institute of Management to join the initiative. “We would also like to enlist the assistance of parents in this endeavour,” say the students.
The petition drive, which Bernard describes as “a unique and creative feature of this campaign”, will be a bi-monthly or monthly event.
“Furthermore, we will be circulating the petition on the Internet to bloggers and among our network of friends,” the group says.
Separately, a Facebook group created by another person dedicated to the issue, on 28 October, has so far garnered 2,376 members and has generated a buzz among students. Another online petition has also been set up and currently it has 26,428 signatures. The group of 10 appreciates the online effort. “What we need now is a concerted, combined online and offline effort to push for change,” Bernard explains.
We are S-T-U-D-E-N-T-S!
“I am quite certain that polytechnic students especially do not mind forsaking the “tertiary” label for cheaper and more affordable fares,” says Bernard.
“We call on the relevant operators to refrain from selectively discriminating [against] groups of students based on their choice and level of academic pursuit and the institutions of enrolment.”
”At the end of the day, we are all students,” he says. “[It] spells the same whether you are in JC, Poly or Uni. This is how it is spelt: S-T-U-D-E-N-T.”
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To give your support to the petition:
5 simple ways to participate and support this nationwide campaign:
1. Download and read the Petition here and the Signature Document here and circulate it among your friends. (Email the list of signatures/ completed document to petition4fairtransport@gmail.com)
2. Email the following information (in the form) to this email address (petition4fairtransport@gmail.com):
- Name:
- NRIC:
- Student? (Y/N)
- Institution of Study (If applicable)
- Remarks
3. Sign up to be an official volunteer to bring forth the petition to your school/ institution of study/ workplace.
4. Spread the word and put up the campaign logo on your blog/website. (The logo will be available in a few days’ time.)
5. Be part of the campaign’s numerous petition drives in the weeks and months to come.
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Dear all,
In short, this petition is about one word, “Fairness”. It is not about equality.
In our opinion, it is wrong to adopt the equality approach. And we understand that we cannot please every interest group.
At a glance, it can be noted that we are removing the distinction between “tertiary” and “non-tertiary” and enforcing discrimination between a Polytechnic, University and Private student.
The group has no intention to discriminate between a Poly student and a Uni student. One has to look at the bigger picture behind this proposal. We are trying to propose that transport operators work within a proposed framework (0 to 60%) in which concession fares could be priced. A fair arrangement from the existing 89% difference in fare prices.
And certainly, this is not Polytechnic exceptionalism at work here. Under the proposed arrangement, University students enjoy a maximum saving of $23.50 per month, which if given due consideration and approval is a major concession on the part of transport operators. The question is this: would you retain your “tertiary tag” and forsake $282 worth of savings a year?
Certainly, under the proposed changes, a polytechnic student do not benefit at the expense of university students. Both groups are proposed to be given a fair deal by the PTC. It is also fair to a private student as under the current arrangement, they do not even enjoy any concession at all and are paying the usual adult fares to get around everyday.
This is a bread and butter issue not an issue over “technicalities & ideology”
Another highlight of this petition is constantly being ignored. Parents are usually the one who are paying for their children’s transport fares. The point is that our parents, under this current arrangement has to bear a bigger burden and it is only fair that the PTC looks into alleviating their cost burdens.
This is a call to seek an understanding between transport operators and different student interest groups. They need to understand that the current arrangement is unfair and they look to look at rectifying and improving it. At the same time, as young Singaporeans, we must understand that transport operators must be viable in the longer term.
This is a petition for change, a change in the attitude of transport operators towards its stakeholders, and more importantly, a change in the mindset of young Singaporeans that the destiny of this country, the policies affecting us are not written for us, but by us”
Doesn’t the government emphasize on transparency?
Maybe we should find out the purpose for the currect transport fare system in Singapore, before pointing fingers at the government.
Please don’t mistake me as siding the government. I just thought the petition might create a better impact on the appropriate authorities if we have more justified problems to pinpoint at. :)
So sorry if you were to say tertiary students must pay the same amount as jc sec or pri, then all of you should wear school uniform. Comeon, Tertiary students are young adults and please do declare you are a child or a kid if you insist.
yiusun,
What makes you say poly 1 student and jc 1 student are different? They are of the same age leh. You mean if you choose jc, then you auto become kid and if you choose poly, you auto become adult? Very confusing leh.
hongjun
Although i have already graduated from poly in 2006, but at that time i also felt unfair that why my JC friends who are same age as me,only have to pay 45 cents for their bus rides. I really fee unfair. I feel that as long as you are a full time student, there is a need to give equal and fair treatment, including in university as well and private uni too.
Wah Yiusun.. and somebody up there who think poly students lack something up there.
Isn’t that, i.e you, how a person speaks who clearly lacks something up there? What do you call that, uhh, NARROW-MINDEDNESS? If you hadn’t noticed yet, poly students have substance and a good percentage qualify for JCs and universities. The point here, everybody, isn’t how smart we are or what our intellectual levels are. Not about superiority over other. Can’t you people get that screwed inside your heads once and for all?
It is why SBS Transit imposes on us heavy transport fares, whereas we don’t have an income, our parents still give us money, and why the other educational levels, who are of the same age, height, weight, width, whatever enjoy and pay $27.50 every month. WHY?
Why until now SBS have not stepped in to explain the poly concession to alleviate the situation? Why has SBS kept mum? Why is SBS feigning ignorance to a supremely sensitive situation?
The government wants to help us, New Singapore Shares, Budget 2008 what have you. But it is these everyday things that hurt us most. All poly students! Please support this movement. As a saying goes, “Nobody can help us but ourselves.” Rise up everybody! Wake up from your slumbers! Shake yourselves off from your veils of ignorance! Put aside your folly and music! Unite as one!
I know and totally realise the government has done much to support us. Just look at our school facilities, everything. For this, I feel grateful for their presence, authority and strength. But just this once, can’t anybody hear our voices and cries asking for help and an emphatizing listening ear?
Our country claims democracy and let’s prove it now by supporting this petition until the end! Don’t falter Team Temasek! Kamilul Ashraf! Bernard! We are behind you! I am totally proud to be a polytechnic student, and a TP one too in fact. I am not spineless and I follow what is right and know what is wrong now. Come on everybody!
We’re the strength of Singapore!
Temasek’s me, Temasek’s you
We are a Team..
We better do something! We’re talking about Tens of Thousands even Hundreds Of Thousand Poly Students affected. Our Money is at stake! Like this I really want to go against SBS Head on!
In the Name of Lord UDeep and of Singapore Polytechnic, WE WILL RISE TO MAKE THIS SUCCESSFUL! Let’s make this FAIR so everyone is happy!
For Singapore Poly! FTW!
54) Bernard Chen
A very excellent piece of summary and if the people still do not get it then . . . sigh…
59) Nurul Ain
I applaud you on your argument.
Now, I would like to add something.
To all of you who argued against the petition for whatsoever reasons, may I ask that you invite your parents to come read what you have written. I am sure they will give you two tight slaps for not helping them save some money especially when it has to do with discrimination.
when you decided to pursue your education, you forsake all the money you could have earned if you work, and thus be able to cope with the high price of transportation. so why blame it on SBS?
i do agree that students who are not adults should not be charged like one, esp when their peers from other institutes are paying a lower fee.
however, did anyone notice that Bernard is already 23? does anyone knows wat are the responsibilities of an adult? could the service provider be blamed because adults could not be self-sufficient enough? did anyone notice that postgraduate and master’s class S-T-U-D-E-N-T-S are adults too?
i do agree that youths should not be charged on the basis of their institutes however, the proposed system is flawed. SBS is not a charity organisation so please look at them as a capitalist and come out with a win-win situation if you really want it to work. did anyone calculate how much money SBS will lose if the cheap fares are applied to all S-T-U-D-E-N-T-S? if so, what makes you think that they will adopt it?
i suggest that the plan to be changed in a way that it discriminates age. students who are not adults should not pay the higher fees. (but of course, what about our poor boys in uni who are adults since first year?)
Any outcome on the petition?
It’s more of a ‘motivation’ to go to JC
That won’t stop me and many others from entering poly, including me this year.
Secondly, the goverment can save on our concession too.
Still, we are students.
if the bus company doesnt want to reduce the fares, i suggest they increase the fares for jc/ite students to be the same as poly. EVERYONE WILL BE FAIR AT THAT TIME!
they deserve it. I always felt bad when my poly friends had to pay the full fares while I could pay the subsidised fare. Hope their voices get heard.
I agree that it’s unfair that although poly and JC students are of the same age, the fare difference is so great. Both should pay the same! Moreover, polys have more expensive school fees than JC so parents of poly students have to bear a greater burden.
Choosing to continue our education is forsaking money earned from work? But if we don’t have sufficient knowledge and skills, who will hire us? Do you mean that after O Level, if we are unwilling to go to JC or cannot make it to JC, we should not further our studies if we think the transport fare is unfair?
I do not fully agree with the proposed changes, except that poly and JC students should be charged the same. If SBS thinks they will suffer a loss, how about raising all concession prices to eg 55 cents? The main point is for poly and JC students travel at the same price. When buying tickets to play at theme parks, they only charge you according to your age and not where you study. Why can’t transport fares be the same?
Anybody out there know whether the gahment pay the transport company or it was just a company initiative for the student fare concession? In UK, the government agreed with the bus companies to provide free bus transport for the old age pensioner (OAP) aged 65 and over. This was arranged such that each OAP received a bus pass for the year and the UK gahment pay a fix sum to the bus companies. Students in UK have their own school buses charged seperately from the public buses. The gahment had a role to play to assist SinKaporean family in reducing the cost of education/transportation. Hopefully there may encourage SinKaporean to have more children. In my time, bus fare from South Bridge road to Tanjong Pagar was 10 cent only but that mean no money for canteen. Time was hard for many of us but equally many of us had acheived acadamic success and are enjoying the fruits of labour. However, I must add, all students must be treated equally regardless which institutions there were attending. Natural justice and fairness demand that they must be given the same previledge or none at all.
i agree to make everyone pay the same price cause making only poly student pay more sounds like SBS is discriminating us
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