For some locations, the challenge is not an unwillingness or inability on the part of the parents to pay school fees but lack of access to accredited schools which may be some distance from a community. Schoolchildren get stuck in poorly-equipped informal centres because parents do not have the time and resources to transport their children and wards to schools outside their areas of operation.

Needed support in this case may be to enrol the students and pupils in accredited schools and then fill the gap in transportation by providing a vehicle (school bus) to shuttle students from their community to the school and back every school day.

The following items and steps are required in this case:

• Acquisition (donation) of school bus or other appropriate vehicle
• Vehicle registration and necessary documentation
• Labelling the bus and affixing donor’s logo or sign
• Engagement of a driver
• Setting up a caretaker committee of parents in the community or settlement
• Ensuring weekly or monthly contributions to fuelling and maintaining the school bus.

Management of the school bus or other vehicle is passed to the community and the bus operates on the basis of a car pool. Since such communities are usually closely knit, a greater sense of responsibility is owed by the managers and other participants in the arrangement can closely monitor and supervise them. This way, parents are given the opportunity to play an active role or make meaningful investment in the education of their children and wards.

Other means of transport such as engine-powered canoes and small boats may be considered for riverine areas.