The City approved the free ticket for university and tertiary students: the details

The Buenos Aires Legislature This Thursday, the expansion of the Student Ticket for university and tertiary students was discussed and approved. The initiative will guarantee a total of 96 free trips monthly for higher education students. The requirements to access.

With 53 affirmative votes, the project to expand the Ticket incorporates students from public or private universities and tertiary schools to law 5,656, approved in 2016 and which until now reached initial students.

The current regulations provide students in public or private compulsory institutions with free tickets for the entire Buenos Aires transportation network: buses, trains, subways and pre-metro.

University ticket: the scope and requirements to access

Now, the expansion will cover not only initial levels but also university and tertiary levels, no age limit to obtain the benefit, although it determines how Mandatory requirement that the student be a resident of the City and receive a maximum income of up to $1,500,000.

In addition, it increases the number of trips to be used, from the 50 per month that govern today to a total of 96, from Monday to Saturday and up to 4 per day. This measure will apply not only to new beneficiaries but also to compulsory education levels.

The high cost of transportation during 2024 was one of the reasons that prompted the blocks to resume the measure. The committee opinion gathered signatures from PRO, the UCR, the CC, Public Trust and socialism, with support in dissent from UP and the FIT.

The sanction came from the hand of 53 mixed votesfrom macrismo to the left. Seven votes were on the other side: Ramiro Marra He spoke out against it and the rest of the libertarians abstained.

Delfina Velazquezfrom UP, described the approval of the changes as a “historical conquest” of the university sector since, as he said, it will promote “that the boys and girls of our City study.” He also highlighted the incorporation of companions of children under 12 years of age, who will receive a 55% rate.

“Achieve the free ticket is heroic on the part of the students who led marches and protests throughout the year,” celebrated Mercedes Trimarchi of the FIT. Although the left bloc advanced its positive vote, the deputy reiterated the criticisms expressed in the committee debates. “Students who do not have a residence in the City and who study here need to be taken into account. And it doesn’t seem to us that they ask for a poverty card,” he said in relation to the income ceiling. included as a requirement to be a beneficiary.

The UCR legislator, Juan Loupiasapplauded the progress achieved by this initiative, for which, as he recalled, “in other times they kidnapped and murdered children,” in reference to the Night of the Pencils. “Today we are in a position where university students can access the free ticket so that they can lead Argentine public education to be a beacon before the world.“, hill.

Benefits in the rate for companions

The project agreed upon by most of the forces that make up the Buenos Aires Parliament, with the exception of La Libertad Avanza, also includes a section for the companions of students under 12 years of age among the beneficiaries. Today, students at pre-university levels do not pay a fee, but those who accompany them do. “With these changes we are giving them a 55% rate,” Thourte highlighted..

The initiative to extend the benefit to companions had broad support and was finally included in the law.

During the debate, UP legislator, Claudia Neira, representative of the bloc in the Budget and Finance Commission, there would beclaimed full ticket coverage. As proposed, it should reach 100% of the rate. In any case, at that time he celebrated the progress and today, like all of UP, he voted in favor: “The ruling to extend the educational ticket in the City is a great advance! Now, to continue working so that this right reaches all those who need it to guarantee access to education,” he expressed.

During the debate in committee also The ruling party was requested to include teachers and non-teachers in the project. Anahí Vera, teacher at Secondary Level 9 Educational Center, the Buenos Aires system aimed at people who want to resume or start secondary studies. “For it to really be an educational ticket, it has to consider teachers. We ask you to take into account this claim that we have been making for several years,” he asked. UP and the left insisted that workers be included in the expansion, but the ruling party and allies did not support the demand.