Government has announced a raft of emergency measures to tighten school transport safety following the deadly Kapchorwa school bus crash that claimed more than 20 lives and left dozens of learners injured.
The measures, unveiled by an inter-ministerial team on Friday, include the immediate suspension of all school study tours and educational trips involving group road transport, mandatory vehicle inspections, stricter driver vetting, and the establishment of a multi-sectoral task force to investigate the accident and recommend long-term reforms.
Addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre, Minister of ICT and National Guidance Justine Kasule Lumumba described the tragedy as a painful national loss and assured the public that government would support affected families while ensuring accountability.
However, journalists questioned why government was introducing new interventions when the Ministry of Education had already issued detailed guidelines in May 2025 governing educational trips.
The guidelines require schools to obtain approval from governing bodies before travel, assess the educational value and safety of trips, ensure vehicles are mechanically sound, observe passenger limits, notify police before departure, maintain learner registers and restrict travel to between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.
Acting Minister of Education and Sports Dr. John Chrysostom Muyingo acknowledged that the guidelines remain legally binding under the Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards for Schools but admitted that the Kapchorwa tragedy had exposed weaknesses in their enforcement.
Responding to concerns over implementation failures, Lumumba said the new administration would focus on enforcing existing government policies instead of merely issuing directives.
Borrowing from President Yoweri Museveni’s “Kisanja Hakuna Kulala” (No More Sleep) slogan for his seventh term, Lumumba said ministers would now be subjected to performance appraisals measuring not only financial accountability but also the impact of their work and how effectively they implement government programmes.
She said the Prime Minister would regularly assess ministers on the time spent in office, achievements registered and their contribution to service delivery, warning that officials who fail to deliver risk losing their positions.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education has suspended all study tours involving group road transport until further notice.
Schools currently undertaking educational trips have been directed to stop at the nearest police station for guidance before returning to their respective schools, while the Uganda Police Force coordinates the safe return of learners nationwide.
Muyingo said the ministry will, within seven days, constitute an inter-ministerial task force to review existing regulations and recommend additional measures to strengthen learner safety.
He said the review would build on the current guidelines, which already require approval of school trips, verification of vehicle roadworthiness, compliance with passenger capacity, police notification and proper documentation of learners and teachers travelling.
The Ministry of Works and Transport also outlined new transport safety requirements targeting school buses and other passenger service vehicles.
State Minister for Transport Julius Maganda Wandera said all drivers operating buses carrying learners or other groups will be required to obtain government clearance and official identification badges issued by the ministry.
Authorities will also enforce mandatory mechanical inspections before any school trip, with clearance to be provided by vehicle inspectors or regional traffic police.
Government further plans to introduce standardized identification for school buses, including a universal colour scheme to make them easily recognizable, while district education officers will be required to authorize learner travel in addition to vehicle safety certification.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development emphasized that protecting children extends beyond schools and transport operators.
State Minister for Children and Youth Affairs Dr. Mercy Faith Lakisa said child safeguarding must become a national responsibility involving schools, transport providers, health facilities, sports programmes and community institutions.
While investigations into the Kapchorwa crash continue, Lumumba said accountability would extend beyond the driver to the police officers who cleared the vehicle at roadblocks, education officials responsible for approving the trip, school administrators and any other officers who failed to enforce the 2025 safety guidelines.
