SMRT taxis were seen offering free rides to students taking the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE) from the MRT stations affected by the ongoing disruption. When several Lianhe Zaobao reporters visited the affected MRT stations at around 7am, not many students were seen on the second day of the East-West Line disruption. Most students were believed to have left early or changed their route to accommodate the extended travel time to get to the examination venues.
Background
The East-West Line (EWL) experienced a significant disruption, halting services between Queenstown and Boon Lay stations at around 9:30am on Sep. 25. This affected a total of nine stations along the EWL. In response, SMRT provided free regular and bridging bus services between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations, and shuttle trains between Boon Lay and Jurong East, and Buona Vista and Queenstown. However, there was no train service between Jurong East and Buona Vista station. The Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) assured students taking the PSLE written examinations from Sep. 26 to Oct. 2 that they would not be penalised for being late due to the train service disruptions.
Free taxis at Jurong East MRT
Station broadcasts at the Jurong East MRT station directed students to the passenger service centre, where they were assisted to take taxis that would shuttle them from the taxi stand to their examination venues. SMRT staff also gave students priority to board shuttle buses. Speaking to Zaobao, a taxi driver, Wen Jingchang, 53, said cabbies received a text message from SMRT at around 2pm on Sep. 25. The message asked for drivers who were interested in picking up candidates to be at the affected MRT stations at 6:15am the next day. They would shuttle the Primary 6 students to their examination venues. There were five taxis waiting at each MRT station offering free transportation to PSLE candidates, Wen said. The PSLE English papers were to be administered on Sep. 26 from 8:15am to 9:25am, and from 10:30am to 12:20pm.
East-West Line failure
Services between Queenstown and Boon Lay stations were halted at around 9:30am on Sep. 25, affecting a total of nine stations along the EWL. Free regular and bridging bus services are available between Boon Lay and Queenstown stations, and shuttle trains are running between Boon Lay and Jurong East, and Buona Vista and Queenstown. There is currently no train service between Jurong East and Buona Vista station. The Singapore Examinations and Assessment Board (SEAB) said students who are taking the PSLE written examinations from Sep. 26 to Oct. 2 “will not be penalised for being late to their examinations due to train service disruptions”. Affected students will be given the full duration of the paper if they reach the examination centre before the end of the paper. Fathership has contacted SMRT for more details on the measure.
Future implications
The ongoing disruption of the East-West Line has highlighted the need for more robust contingency plans to ensure minimal impact on critical activities such as national examinations. The swift response by SMRT to provide free taxi services for PSLE students is commendable, but it also underscores the importance of having a reliable public transport system. Future developments may include enhanced communication strategies and more comprehensive support measures for affected commuters. The incident serves as a reminder of the critical role that public transport plays in the daily lives of Singaporeans, especially during significant events like the PSLE.
