Private school owners demand transport safety reforms
The development comes in response to the July 16 incident in Kapchorwa district, when a bus carrying pupils of Ndejje-based King David Junior School lost control — reportedly due to brake failure — on Chekwatit Hill while returning from an educational tour at Sipi Falls.
Sam Bambanza, Executive Director of the Road Safety Advocacy Coalition Uganda, looks on as Hasadu Kirabira, Chairman of the National Private Educational Institutions Association–Uganda, addresses journalists during a press conference at the association’s offices in Kampala on July 20, 2026. (Photo by Nancy Nanyonga)
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Private school owners have called for the establishment of a mandatory National School Transport Safety Framework as a way to ending a series of fatal road crashes involving school children in Uganda.
The proposals were unveiled on Monday by the National Private Educational Institutions Association (NPEIA), an umbrella body representing more than 20,050 private schools.
The development comes in response to the July 16 incident in Kapchorwa district, when a bus carrying pupils of Ndejje-based King David Junior School lost control — reportedly due to brake failure — on Chekwatit Hill while returning from an educational tour at Sipi Falls.
The crash killed 24 people, including 22 pupils and the school’s founder and director, Tadeo Ssekade, and the bus driver.
(L-R) Sam Bambanza, Executive Director of the Road Safety Advocacy Coalition Uganda; Hasadu Kirabira, Chairman of the National Private Educational Institutions Association–Uganda; and Bartholomew Muramuzi, Deputy Chairman of the association, during a press conference at the association’s offices in Kampala on July 20, 2026. (Photo by Nancy Nanyonga)
Just a day later, a bus from Nalango Senior Secondary School crashed into a stationary truck near Busota trading centre along the Jinja–Kamuli Road, injuring 47 passengers.
Following the Kapchorwa crash, the education ministry suspended all school trips and tours with immediate effect.
In a statement, the association said the recent tragedies underscore the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to protect learners on the road.
"While mourning is necessary, mourning alone is not enough," the association said, citing Uganda Police statistics showing an alarming rise in road crashes from 20,394 in 2022 to 26,044 in 2025, with fatalities increasing from 4,534 to 5,383 over the same period.
NPEIA proposed a 10-point reform agenda aimed at strengthening vehicle safety standards, improving driver competence, and enhancing learner protection.
Under the proposed vehicle standards, all school transport vehicles would be subject to mandatory annual mechanical inspections and certification.
In addition, every bus must be equipped with speed governors, seat belts, fire extinguishers, emergency exits, communication equipment, and GPS tracking systems.
To improve driver competence, the association wants operators to undergo compulsory medical examinations, defensive driving certification, child safeguarding training, and regular refresher courses.
Beyond vehicle and driver safety, NPEIA urged the government to gazette school zones and install traffic-calming measures, such as speed humps, zebra crossings, and pedestrian walkways around learning institutions.
To oversee the implementation of these measures, the association proposed the establishment of a National School Transport Safety Committee comprising representatives from relevant government ministries, the Uganda Police, school proprietors, transport operators, and road safety experts.
The association also welcomed the Ministry of Education and Sports' decision — announced on July 17 by acting minister Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo — to temporarily suspend all educational tours.
However, they urged the government to expedite the review of safety guidelines to allow for the safe resumption of these activities.
"The objective should be safer educational travel, not the abandonment of experiential education," the statement read, noting that educational tours remain vital for practical learning, leadership development, and patriotism.
Meanwhile, NPEIA has directed all its member schools to immediately review their transport safety policies, verify the roadworthiness of their vehicles, and retrain staff in child safeguarding and emergency response.
The association also called on schools across the country to observe a minute of silence and hold memorial prayers in honour of the victims.