The government has suspended all educational school trips and excursions across Uganda with immediate effect following Thursday’s devastating road crash in Kapchorwa District that claimed the lives of 20 pupils and a school director.
The directive was announced by the Acting Minister of Education and Sports, John Chrysostom Muyingo, who said the suspension will remain in force until the Ministry completes a comprehensive review of the guidelines governing school trips and excursions.
“The Acting Minister of Education and Sports has suspended all educational school trips and excursions with immediate effect until further notice. The suspension will remain in place as the Ministry reviews the existing guidelines for conducting educational trips,” the ministry said in a statement.
The decision comes amid growing concern over the safety of learners following a series of accidents involving school buses during educational tours.
According to the Directorate of Traffic and Road Safety spokesperson, Assistant Commissioner of Police Michael Kananura, at least 21 people have so far been confirmed dead following Thursday evening’s crash at Chekwatit Village in Kimawa Parish, Kawowo Sub-county, Kapchorwa District.
“We wish to confirm that, following the fatal road traffic crash that occurred yesterday evening at Chekwatit Village, Kimawa Parish, Kawowo Sub-county, Kapchorwa District, a total of 21 people, comprising 20 pupils and one adult, have so far been confirmed dead,” Kananura said.
The accident involved an Isuzu bus, registration number UA 108BQ, belonging to King David Junior School in Ndejje, Makindye Division, Kampala. The pupils had travelled to Sipi Falls on an educational tour and were returning to Kampala when tragedy struck.
“Preliminary investigations indicate that the school bus had taken pupils on an educational tour to Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa District. While returning from the tour, the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road, struck a large stone along the roadside and overturned,” Kananura said.
Police said the crash killed 20 pupils and one adult, while several survivors sustained injuries and were rushed to Kaserem Health Centre IV, Kapchorwa General Hospital and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for treatment.
“The bodies of the deceased were conveyed to Kapchorwa Mortuary pending identification and postmortem examinations. Police investigations into the exact cause of the crash are ongoing,” he added.
Government’s decision to halt school trips follows a string of recent road crashes involving learners on educational excursions.
Only a week earlier, a school bus carrying students of Mwebaze High School, Kakiri, to Jinja for a study tour collided with a passenger train at the Namumira railway crossing along Katosi Road in Mukono District. The collision left one teacher dead and several students injured, prompting Parliament to order investigations into railway crossing safety and renewed calls for stricter enforcement of traffic regulations at level crossings.
The Mukono railway crossing accident prompted the Uganda Railways Corporation to announce plans to install automated boom barriers, warning lights and audible alarms at high-risk railway crossings in Kampala, Wakiso and Mukono as part of broader efforts to improve road and rail safety.
In another incident on Friday, police arrested two school bus drivers who were found dangerously overloading buses transporting pupils of St. Kizito Primary School for an educational tour.
According to Kananura, Kimbugwe Alia, the driver of bus registration UA 092AS, was found carrying 110 pupils, while Mutesasira Abubakari, who was driving bus registration UAN 619X, was transporting 97 pupils.
“The two buses were intercepted during a traffic operation at the Golf Course. The two drivers have since been charged with the relevant traffic offences and are currently detained at Kampala Central Police Station pending appearance before court,” Kananura said.
He added that police had worked with the school’s management to ensure the pupils continued their journey using safer transport arrangements.
“Police is working with the school management to ensure pupils are safely transported to their destination using appropriate means of transport.”
Kananura also revealed that police, together with other stakeholders, are finalising new guidelines intended to strengthen the safety of school transportation following the recent increase in crashes involving learners.
“Meanwhile, police together with other key stakeholders is working on the guidelines aimed at improving the safety of school transportation to minimize the increasing number of road crashes involving school children. This will be communicated in due course once the consultative process is concluded,” he said.
The suspension of school tours will remain in force until the Ministry of Education and Sports concludes its review and introduces stricter safety measures governing educational excursions, transport standards and supervision of learners travelling outside school premises.
