Schools science and technology event rescheduled

STEMFest was supposed to take place on 23 and 24 October

A science and technology educational event postponed due to bus driver shortages is set to be rescheduled for early next year, the enterprise minister has confirmed.

STEMFest, which also focuses on engineering and maths, is an annual event aimed at primary school children and had been due to take place on 23 and 24 October.

Tim Johnston MHK confirmed that cancellation was down to a "challenge" organising enough bus transport but said new dates would be announced next month.

It comes amid ongoing disruption to bus services on the island due to a lack of qualified drivers, which has seen temporary reductions in Sunday services.

Johnston told the House of Keys that while Bus Vannin did a "fantastic job" in getting children to school each day, transporting all primary schools to the event had been a "slight step too far under the present circumstances".

The interactive event was set to have more than 30 organisations showcase exhibits about their sectors to spark an interest among children in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

'Fairest approach'

The Department for Enterprise had considered a number of alternatives including using private transport providers, asking parents to take their children to the event, or extending the event by a day to spread the transport requirements over a longer period, Johnston said.

However, the alternatives each had "significant drawbacks", such as inconsistent attendance, increased pressures on businesses taking part and additional costs, he continued.

The enterprise minister told politicians the total cost of the event was £14,000, £4,500 of which was secured through private sector investment, with the remainder funded by the department.

Those costs would be carried forward with no additional funds required, Johnston said.

The "fairest approach" was to reschedule it for early 2025, ensuring the school year groups could attend within this academic year, he added.