As a result of the work carried out by Primary Education students within the Agenda 2030 School program, the city council intends to launch the 'Eskolara Oinez' initiative in collaboration with Floreaga school and Xabier Munibe ikastola. Last week, an informative meeting was held to explain the project's details to parents, and following this, they have decided to carry out a pilot test of the initiative next month. The City Council has announced that the trial will take place over two or three days in the second week of June. If the response is positive, the program will be implemented in the town next academic year.

As the name suggests, the initiative aims to encourage local children to walk to school, among other things, to reduce families' use of cars for such journeys. The organizers are aware that car usage for short trips is increasing, and they have emphasized the consequences, such as air pollution, traffic congestion and risky situations around schools, and reduced physical activity for children. Conversely, they have highlighted that walking "a little" every day has "many" benefits, including developing autonomy and responsibility, and strengthening relationships among children. Furthermore, children arrive at school "cheerful and alert," which "also improves learning outcomes."

Ultimately, the City Council has stressed that the project's goal is to "improve mobility" in the town and make Azkoitia a "healthier," "safer," and "more pleasant" place for families. It is also a gesture towards sustainable mobility. Through the initiative, students will walk to school in groups, and due to its operational structure, organizers have also nicknamed the project the "walking bus": each group will have specific departure points and times, and there will be stops along the way to allow more children to join the group. To make this possible, parent volunteers will be involved in each group to ensure the children's safety.

The departure points and schedules for students to walk to school have already been defined. Organizers have established six departure points: Anaitasuna square in Altzibar, the Txalonerreka neighborhood, the park in the Floreaga neighborhood, Santa Klara street, the Altamira neighborhood, and Trenbidearen Zumardia street. Through the initiative, walking buses will depart from these six points at their respective set times, following four designed routes to reach their designated schools. In some cases, the six points will converge: for example, groups departing from Altamira and Trenbidearen Zumardia will meet near the library to continue their route, and students coming from the Altzibar and Jausoro neighborhoods will gather at the fountain on Aingeru street to walk to school together.

Furthermore, to ensure children's safety, they will have the support of parent volunteers wearing identification vests. "For the initiative to function, a small group of volunteer families will need to be formed at each school, responsible for organizing shifts, managing incidents, or proposing improvements," the City Council explained. Indeed, the institution has indicated that parents who participated in last week's meeting have expressed their willingness to do so, but they anticipate that the initiative cannot be realized with only them; more parents are needed. To this end, they will now extend an invitation to parents from both schools, requesting their participation as volunteers in the 'Eskolara Oinez' project. They have also encouraged students from both Early Childhood and Primary Education to participate in the project: "The little ones will have the support of the older ones; and the older ones, in turn, will have an excellent opportunity to help the younger ones. Moreover, it will be a fun, educational, and social experience for them," explained the organizers.