Kids Having to Hitchhike to School in Vrgorac

Disillusioned parents of high school kids from Vrgorac (Split-Dalmatia County), appalled by the public transport options to and from the school from the surrounding villages, held peaceful protests on Wednesday outside the Tin Ujevic school in the heart of Vrgorac to highlight the problem, reports website Tportal.

The transport problem for high school students has turned into an absurd situation, the local bus carrier has only signed a contract to transport primary school children to and from school, leaving high school students stranded at bus stops and having to hitchhike to school.

To make matters worse, the Vrgorac City Council and the Split-Dalmatia County were too late in applying for government assistance to help areas which had no fixed bus lines, meaning high school students from surrounding villages such as Orah and Duga Njiva are left optionless.

“This is not normal, I have five kids, the bus picks up two of them who go to primary school and the three high school students they leave behind, I then have to get in my car and drive them whilst the bus is half empty,” said Miro Jozic from Duga Njiva.

“Kids are hitchhiking to school which is in no way good, we want to secure safe transport so they can turn up to their lessons on time,” concluded the schools principal Josip Gaspar.