Students and staff at Richmond Primary and Infant School in St. Mary now have safe, reliable transportation – a new 29-seater Toyota Coaster bus, gifted by the Government and People of Japan.
The vehicle, valued US$72,489, was handed over to the institution on Tuesday (April 29). It was facilitated through a partnership between the National Education Trust (NET) and the Embassy of Japan in Jamaica.
Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, Senator Dr. the Hon. Dana Morris Dixon, in her address, hailed Japan as a true friend of Jamaica while expressing gratitude for the donation.
“On behalf of the Government and the people of Jamaica, I extend our sincere appreciation to the Embassy and the people of Japan for their continued support and generosity. This is beautifully demonstrated through the donation of this 29-seater Coaster bus to the Richmond Primary and Infant School. We are no stranger to the generosity of our friends from Japan. Japan is truly a friend of Jamaica,” she added.
Senator Morris Dixon said the vehicle will contribute to the Government’s formal rural school bus system, which is slated to begin in the 2025/26 academic year.
“As a Government, we recognise that rural transportation challenges have, for far too long, limited the full potential of our students. Access to education should never depend on where you happen to be born,” she noted.
The Minister said the rural school bus system will create a “structured, sustainable and safe transportation network” for students across rural Jamaica.
She pointed out that phase-one implementation of the system is already under way, with the expansion of Jamaica Urban Transit Company (JUTC) service to Clarendon, St. Thomas, St. Mary and St. Catherine.
In phase two, 100 fully refurbished buses will be deployed across various parishes, with 60 beginning service in September this year and 40 in January 2026.
Meanwhile Senator Morris Dixon urged the staff and students of Richmond Primary “to make the most of this new gift… [and] please take good care of this bus”.
“This is your bus; own it, cherish it, use it well. Let it be a vessel for dreams, opportunities and success,” she said.
For his part, Japan’s Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Yasuhiro Atsumi, pointed out that 80 per cent of the almost 200 students attending the institution experience “many challenges and obstacles” in accessing reliable transportation to and from school.
“I firmly believe that having an improved transportation system is an absolute requisite, given the importance of ensuring that all students can go to and from school by a safer mode of transit. The Government of Japan is pleased to support this project here at Richmond, St. Mary,” the Ambassador said.
NET’s Executive Director, Latoya Harris-Ghartey, in her remarks, stated that “this bus represents access to school but it represents, also, us providing that supporting environment through safety and stability”.
“We often forget some of the variables in education. We hear a child must be fed. But a child must arrive safely to school, and this is what this bus is providing,” she added.
An elated Principal, Dwight Sanderson, said Tuesday’s presentation, “marks, not only the arrival of a valuable asset to our school community but also a meaningful symbol of international friendship and cooperation”.
“This donation will have a lasting impact on the lives of our students by providing safer, more reliable access to education,” he declared.