The family has disputed the decision not only because she was having trouble fitting in at her in-area school, but the one she moved to is technically closer to home than the one qualifying her for transport assistance.

The parents of 13-year-old Gayana Wijewickrema have been waging a nine-month battle with ACT government red tape after Gayana enrolled at Lyneham High School at the start of this year to begin year 7.

Melrose was her ‘‘in-area’’ school and attendance would have qualified her for a free ‘‘special needs’’ bus service each day with other students with disabilities. Gayana received the free and supervised transport through her primary school years – taking part of the burden of her care off her family.

But after a few days of orientation at Melrose’s learning support unit last December, Gayana’s parents Ranjith and Geetha were concerned she was having difficulty fitting into an all-male class with a curriculum that was not appropriate to her intellectual age of about six.

They secured Gayana a place at the learning support unit at Lyneham High School, an environment in which their daughter thrives socially and is learning vital life skills such as catching a bus and cooking.

While the family delights in Gayana’s smooth transition to high school, the trade-off has been her access to transport assistance has been cut – on the basis that eligibility is restricted to the ‘‘closest’’ appropriate learning unit – in this case, according to the ACT Education Directorate, Melrose High.

The family has measured the distance between their home in Forrest and Melrose, which comes to 10.1 kilometres, while the distance to Lyneham High is 9.6 kilometres.

Mr and Mrs Wijewickrema argue the policy does not consider Gayana’s right to attend the school which most suits her learning needs.

But their arguments have fallen on deaf ears – a review last week confirming an earlier rejection for transport help.

The ACT Education Directorate said ‘‘Funded transport assistance is provided for eligible students with a disability to the appropriate program or service closest to where they live.

‘‘If parents choose a different settings to the appropriate program or service closest to where they live then funded transport is not provided.’’

Mr Wijewickrema runs a small business in Fyshwick and needs to start work at 8am. Mrs Wijewickrema is a part-time special aid for primary school students with disabilities and also needs to start work early.

The burden of dropping Gayana to and from school fell on her older sister Nip, a University of Canberra undergraduate who scheduled her study and part-time work around her sister’s needs.

Last month, Nip, who has been a member of the ACT Government’s Youth Advisory Council advocating on behalf of all students with disabilities, began a six-month university exchange to Canada. It has thrown the family’s schedule into chaos – requiring both parents to take time off work and rely on friends and other family to help with transport.

Nip said public transport was not an option for her sister.

‘‘The day Gayana can catch a public bus unaided, will be a very happy day for the Wijewickrema family. For the moment, it is only a distant dream,’’ she said.

‘‘One thing that I wonder is how she can be denied the choice of education. She was initially granted transport to Melrose, why is that a small change in educational institution leads to no transport whatsoever? Just because she has a disability, it should not mean that she is deprived of her liberty and choice.’’

The family has contacted the Education Directorate on numerous occasions to plead their case and have also written directly to Community Services Minister Joy Burch.

Education Minister Chris Bourke said ‘‘Transport assistance for students with a disability is a complex area for any government. The ACT government has worked to make sure we have a fair process to assist parents.

The education department issued a statement yesterday, saying that Mrs Wijewickrem had been allowed flexible working arrangements to allow her to get Gayana to school.

‘‘Flexible work arrangements for a family member are already in place to support the family transport their child,’’ the statement said.

‘‘As with all Directorate employees work arrangements can be further adjusted.

‘‘These flexible work arrangements do not compromise a staff member’s continued employment.

‘’Schools work with families to ensure student supervision both before and after school hours. This is the case for all students, including students with a disability.

‘’I understand this can involve difficult decisions for both parents and the Directorate.’’

With Nip overseas until early next year, and Mr Wijewickrema suffering illness, Mrs Wijewickrema said she was now considering whether she could continue to work as a teacher’s aid and still manage the constant care and transportation of her daughter.

‘‘I understand rules and regulations are important, but this issue is all about a little girl,’’ she said.