Transportation Issues Lead Students to Protest

School has barely begun, and students have already taken to the streets. Students protested in front of the Ministry of Education, accusing the violation of the right to free transportation. According to a statement from the Association of Students in Constanţa, after statements from transport operators and the decision 1337/2023, students in 19 counties are left without transportation, and, consequently, without education. Students requested a meeting with the Minister of Education, but Ligia Deca was not present in the institution and did not wish to communicate with the students about the problems generated by the government decision that was supposed to correct the "costly mistakes that students are forced to pay for," according to the cited source, stating that they were redirected to Florin Lixandru - State Secretary, and Ioana Lazăr - General Secretary of the Ministry of Education. Vague promises were made to the students, and they were told that none of the problems raised by them were the responsibility of the Ministry of Education and that the blame lies entirely with the county councils. They stated that transport operators have received payment for the issued passes. "We will challenge Government Decision No. 1337/2023 in court, an illegal decision, so that students do not drop out of school," the statement said. Lorena Drăguşin, president of the Association of Students, declared: "I thought the minister would come to discuss with us, commuting students, about the problems we have encountered since the beginning of the school year, in the desire to get to school. I think she wasn't at work, otherwise I can't explain why she didn't want to listen to us. Ministry representatives told us that it is not their duty to solve the problems raised by us, that our association from Constanţa only comes to complain, and that we should be concerned about something other than transportation. (...) I am deeply disappointed, both because of the absence of the minister and the statements of her intermediaries, who told us that we have too high expectations when we asked to speak with Mrs. Ligia Deca. We just want to get to school, nothing more." Iulia Băiaşu, president of the Valcea Students' Association, stated that she had hopes for a discussion with Minister Ligia Deca: "I thought there would be a little enlightenment, I even hoped for an open discussion with Mrs. Ligia Deca. We opened the subject of lump-sum amounts granted for areas where there is no approved public transport on those routes; we asked the ministry to find a solution for students who are forced to hitchhike, drive their own cars, or use a taxi. The answer was hopeless - "it's not our concern.' (...) We were told that in February, free transportation will be provided for all counties, namely for students. But what happens until then? Can all students afford to take out those sums from their pockets? Can we still trust the proposals outlined by the ministry?" Students say they are tired of being ignored by the current minister: "We need an Education Minister who will restore the trust that parents, teachers, county councils, transport operators, and students have lost in the system." The next step will be taken to court.