Schoolchildren in England who do not own smartphones are facing significant financial penalties, with some projected to pay hundreds of pounds more in annual bus fares. The increase stems from a shift by transit operators to digitize cheaper travel passes, making them accessible only through mobile applications.
This transition has drawn sharp criticism for potentially undermining existing government guidance that aims to keep mobile phones out of classrooms. By restricting discounted fares to app-based platforms, operators are effectively excluding students who do not possess smartphones, creating a disparity in travel costs based on device ownership rather than need.
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