Our children should not keep paying for our negligence

What the report says

The Observer published a viewpoint responding to a deadly crash involving pupils of King David Primary School, Ndejje. According to the article, at least 24 children died when a bus returning from a school trip to Sipi Falls lost control, struck a large stone and overturned in Kapchorwa District. The writer said dozens of other children were injured, describing the deaths as an immeasurable loss for families and the country.

The piece also cited another recent crash in Mukono District involving a bus carrying students of Mwebaze High School, Kakiri, who were travelling to Jinja for an educational trip. The Observer reported that the bus was involved in a collision with a train, killing one female passenger at the scene and injuring several students. The writer used the two incidents to argue that school transport tragedies in Uganda should not be treated as isolated events.

The article said the government’s suspension of school trips may be understandable as an immediate response, but argued that it should not distract from broader road-safety failures. The writer pointed to possible negligence by drivers, transport operators, school administrators and enforcement bodies, saying children remain exposed when vehicle maintenance, trip planning, inspection and accountability are weak.

As proposed reforms, the viewpoint called for stronger and continuous inspection of school transport vehicles, school-level transport safety policies, risk assessments before trips, use of transport providers with proven safety records, better driver training, medical checks and monitoring. The writer concluded that condolences and investigations are insufficient unless they lead to visible accountability and systems that prevent similar deaths.