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dc.titleNavigating School Journeys: Barriers and Enablers for Children and Caregivers in Nassau, Bahamas
dc.contributor.authorScholl, Lynn
dc.contributor.authorOviedo, Daniel
dc.contributor.authorSabogal-Cardona, Orlando
dc.contributor.authorCasas-Cortes, Camila
dc.contributor.authorChea, Llando
dc.contributor.authorSaboin, José Luis
dc.contributor.orgunitTransport Division
dc.coverageBahamas
dc.coverageThe Caribbean
dc.date.available2025-12-19T00:12:00
dc.date.issue2025-12-19T00:12:00
dc.description.abstractThis study explores the multiple enablers and barriers to school transportation and their broader social implications in Nassau, the capital of The Bahamas. We examine the complex interplay between physical, functional, and social factors shaping childrens, parents ', and caregivers daily access to school. A central revelation is the profoundly gendered nature of school transportation responsibilities in Nassau, with women constituting 83% of our sample who organize or undertake these daily journeys. Drawing on semi-structured interviews, focus groups, and a survey of 477 caregivers across Nassau, we adopt a mixed-methods approach combining descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and cluster modelling. We identify four distinct groups based on their perceptions of traffic safety, harassment risks, and climate-related barriers, including one cluster for whom flooding and other extreme weather concerns are central drivers of school transportation challenges. Our findings reveal that inadequate infrastructure, minimal enforcement of school zone traffic laws, and the perceived threat of harassment or violence pose significant barriers to childrens safe and enjoyable access to education. At the same time, extended family support and targeted school-zone measures emerge as notable enablers, alleviating some of the burdens placed on caregivers. Building on these insights, we offer evidence-based recommendations for policy and practice, underscoring the need for cross-sector collaboration to enhance infrastructure, strengthen traffic law enforcement, and address social vulnerabilities. By highlighting cluster-specific concerns-from gender-based violence to climate impacts-this paper provides a nuanced understanding of how school transportation challenges intersect with gender norms and broader societal issues, offering practical pathways toward more inclusive and resilient mobility systems for children and their caregivers. The paper also outlines future research directions around the consequences of these barriers and enablers for caregivers time use, labor participation and well-being.
dc.format.extent55
dc.identifier.doihttp://dx.doi.org/10.18235/0013857
dc.identifier.urlhttps://publications.iadb.org/publications/english/document/Navigating-School-Journeys-Barriers-and-Enablers-for-Children-and-Caregivers-in-Nassau-Bahamas.pdf
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherInter-American Development Bank
dc.subjectChildren
dc.subjectSchool Transportation
dc.subjectMode of Transport
dc.subjectHigh School
dc.subjectBus Management System
dc.subjectInfrastructure Development
dc.subjectDebtor Finance
dc.subjectPrimary Education
dc.subjectPublic Transport
dc.subject.jelcodeI23 - Higher Education • Research Institutions
dc.subject.jelcodeI28 - Government Policy
dc.subject.jelcodeR40 - Transportation Economics: General
dc.subject.jelcodeR48 - Government Pricing and Policy
dc.typeWorking Papers
idb.identifier.pubnumberIDB-WP-01781
idb.operationRG-E1927
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