Government Moves to Tighten School Transport Rules as Road Crashes Rise

What the report says

Uganda is moving to strengthen school transport safety rules in response to continuing road crashes involving learners, according to Nile Post. The discussion centers on tighter oversight of vehicles and drivers used to carry children to and from school, with proposals that include specialised certification for school transport drivers, stricter inspections, and greater use of technology to support enforcement.

The report says the push was outlined in Kampala by Winstone Katushabe, the Ministry of Works and Transport’s Commissioner for Transport Regulation and Safety and Chief Licensing Officer. He said schoolchildren remain exposed to danger from unroadworthy vehicles, overcrowding, speeding, reckless overtaking and distracted driving. The measures were discussed at a multi-stakeholder workshop involving the ministry, police, transport groups and technology-focused stakeholders.

Nile Post reports that the debate comes amid Uganda’s broader road safety problem, with thousands of crashes and fatalities recorded each year. Recent incidents involving school transport have intensified public concern, including a July crash in Kapchorwa that killed pupils and an adult. Police have also stepped up checks on vehicles carrying children beyond permitted capacity.

The proposed response goes beyond driver checks and vehicle condition. It also includes speed cameras, automatic number plate recognition systems, safer school-zone infrastructure and a 30km/h limit in areas where children are most at risk. The broader message from officials and stakeholders is that schools, parents, operators and government must share responsibility if journeys to class are to become safer.