Education Minister, John Chrysostom Muyingo, has suspended all school education trips pending comprehensive investigations following a nasty accident that killed 20 pupils and a school director of King David Junior School Ndejje in Uganda’s eastern district of Kapchorwa.
The directive was issued on Friday morning by Acting Minister of Education and Sports Dr. John Chrysestom Muyingo, as the government moves to review safety measures governing school excursions.
“As an immediate precautionary measure, all school trips and educational excursions are hereby suspended with immediate effect until further notice,” Muyingo said.
The suspension follows the tragic accident that occurred near Sipi Falls in Kapchorwa, where a school bus carrying learners returning from an educational tour overturned, resulting in multiple deaths and injuries.
Twenty (20) pupils and one adult were reported killed after a bus carrying pupils on a study trip crashed in eastern Uganda, in one of the country’s deadliest road accidents involving children in recent years.
Preliminary investigations show the bus suffered a mechanical fault before the driver lost control on Chekwatit Hill, a stretch of road that has been the site of several serious crashes, according to local officials.
“The driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle, which veered off the road, struck a large stone along the roadside, and overturned,” police said.
The bus, carrying pupils from King David Junior School in Ndejje, crashed at about 20:00 local time (17:00 GMT) at Chekwatit village in Kawowo area, police said.
“Sadly, 20 children and 1 adult, who happens to be the founder and director, Mr Tadeo Ssekade, have gone to be with the Lord,” Minister of Local Government, Balaam Ateenyi Barugahara posted on X, while at the scene.
Videos shared by eyewitnesses showed the bus badly damaged, as local residents rushed to help the injured children.
The pupils were returning from a study tour, with local media reporting they had visited the Sipi Falls, a tourist area.
Dr. Muyingo said the temporary suspension will remain in place as the Ministry conducts a comprehensive review of existing school trip and excursion guidelines and introduces stronger safety measures to protect learners.
“This temporary suspension will remain in force while the Ministry conducts a comprehensive review of the existing school trip and excursion guidelines and puts in place strengthened safety measures to safeguard the lives and well-being of our learners,” he said.
He said the safety and well-being of children must remain the government’s top priority, adding that educational activities should never expose learners to danger.
“The safety and well-being of our children and students remain the government’s highest priority. While educational trips are an important part of learning, they must never compromise the safety of our children,” Muyingo said.
The minister directed the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary to immediately review all school trip and excursion guidelines and recommend additional measures to strengthen learner safety.
He reminded schools to strictly comply with existing safety requirements, including ensuring that all vehicles used for school trips are roadworthy and properly licensed.
“Schools must use only qualified and licensed drivers with proven safety records, conduct comprehensive risk assessments before every trip, obtain all required authorisations, inform parents or guardians appropriately, avoid overnight travel, ensure drivers are well rested, and maintain appropriate teacher-to-learner supervision throughout every journey,” he said.
Dr. Muyingo said the Ministry is working closely with the Uganda Police Force, the Ministry of Works and Transport, and other relevant agencies to establish the circumstances surrounding recent accidents and develop measures to prevent similar tragedies.
He also called upon school proprietors, governing boards, headteachers, transport providers and parents to prioritise learner safety and ensure full compliance with all safety guidelines.
“I call upon all school proprietors, governing boards, headteachers, transport providers and parents to prioritise the safety of learners and ensure full compliance with all safety guidelines,” Muyingo said.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Works and Transport (MoWT) is convening an emergency meeting on road safety. There rae several reproted incidents of over crowded buses transporting pupila nd students and a number involved in accidents . Many of the transporters uses buses and other vehciles that are in Dangerous Mechnical Conditions (DMCs).
