It has been proposed to reconsider the payment amount for the “School Buses” service implemented in Azerbaijan. This issue was reflected in the report of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman) for 2025, which was discussed at today's meeting of the Human Rights Committee of the Milli Majlis.
According to the report, considering the planned wider implementation of the “School Buses” pilot project, which is applied in Baku city to facilitate students' commute to educational institutions, starting from the next academic year, it is deemed appropriate to review the service fee based on the national living wage.
In a statement to Modern.az regarding the topic, Gunay Akbarova, Secretary of the Public Council under the Ministry of Science and Education, stated that although the issue of public transport is sometimes seen as a technical matter in terms of intervals, capacity, and routes, in reality, this issue is directly related to the quality of education.
“Because every morning thousands of pupils, students, and teachers go to class specifically by bus. How they start their day often depends on how they travel.
The proposal to introduce concessions in public transport for pupils, students, persons with disabilities, and pensioners in the Ombudsman's 2025 report to the Human Rights Committee of the Milli Majlis of the Republic of Azerbaijan is, in fact, a step taken in a very correct direction. This is not merely a social gesture. It is about facilitating access to education.
Let's consider a family. The child has school, additional preparatory lessons, perhaps even a course. Daily travel expenses accumulate and turn into a significant amount at the end of the month. A concessionary card system would both increase attendance and reduce the family's burden.”
According to her, for children living in remote areas in particular, this means real equality of opportunity:
“Global experience also demonstrates this. For example, in Germany, the “Semesterticket” system has been implemented for students for years. In the United Kingdom, there are discounted transport cards for pupils aged 16-18. In Finland, students use public transport with concessions of up to 40-50%. The goal is clear: the path of a person receiving education should not be difficult.”
G. Akbarova also noted that for students, transport costs sometimes exceed the price of books:
“A concession means that a student can dedicate more time to studies, research, and development without having to work extra. This is an investment in the country's human capital in the long term.
For teachers, the issue is even more sensitive. Especially for teachers working in regions, traveling several kilometers every day, transport is both a financial and physical burden. Comfortable and accessible transport preserves a teacher's energy. We all know that the lesson taught by a tired teacher is not the same as that taught by an energetic one. A special concessionary card for teachers or support commensurate with their professional status would send both a practical and symbolic message: “education is a priority”.
She also noted that other proposals directly impact the educational environment:
“Bus intervals exceeding 10-20 minutes mean a missed lesson for a pupil. A child arriving in congestion during morning traffic cannot start class attentively. Acquiring more spacious, even double-decker buses, would reduce crowding and increase safety. Monitoring drivers' ethical behavior is particularly important for adolescents. They perceive every behavior as a model. The issue of ventilation is also not a minor detail. A closed, airless environment creates both health risks and increases overall tension. Health and education cannot be considered separately.”
According to our interlocutor, additionally, an “education hour” regime could be implemented, whereby extra routes are organized during morning school entry and exit times:
“Route maps for directions with high pupil and student density can be re-optimized. Mobile applications showing real-time information would help reduce stress, especially during exam periods. Furthermore, a unified “Education Card” system could be established for pupils, students, and teachers on the same platform, incorporating concession and control mechanisms.”
The Secretary of the Public Council finally emphasized that a reduction in the number of private cars in a large city like Baku would also yield positive results for education:
“Less traffic means fewer delays and more timely arrivals. Strengthening public transport is a priority in developed cities worldwide precisely for this reason. The matter is actually very simple. The journey to school, university, and class should not be difficult. The quality of education begins in the classroom, but it continues with getting there. Sometimes the fate of the future depends on a bus interval. And let's be honest, a pupil who arrives on time for class is more confident, and a teacher who arrives comfortably is more productive. Public transport policy is, in fact, a part of education policy,” G. Akbarova noted.
