In response to growing concerns over road crashes involving school-going children, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Uganda Police Force, the Ministry of Education, and the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) hosted a high-level stakeholder conference focused on strengthening school transport safety.
The event comes in the wake of a tragic school bus crash in Kapchorwa that claimed the lives of 20 learners, highlighting the urgent need for stronger school transport safety measures, improved vehicle inspections and enhanced accountability across the transport sector. The tragedy has renewed national attention on the need for preventive measures, stronger enforcement and coordinated action to reduce avoidable road deaths in Uganda.
Opening the conference, Winston Katushabe, Commissioner Transport, Regulation and Safety at the Ministry of Works and Transport, reiterated the commitment to protecting learners. “Recent road tragedies involving children highlight the need for stronger safety measures. The Ministry is committed to strengthening inspections of transport, including school buses, while embracing smart enforcement solutions to improve discipline and protect young lives,” He said.
He further noted that drivers transporting learners will be required to undergo vetting, hold valid driving licenses and obtain an official Ministry-issued badge before operating school transport vehicles.
According to Denis Mugimba, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Government has introduced immediate measures to strengthen learner safety through the Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards for Schools, which have been issued to school administrators. All vehicles transporting learners to and from school should have a valid Private Motor Omnibus (PMO) license with IOV certification. School vehicles should be roadworthy, and drivers should hold the appropriate class of valid driving permit for the vehicle they operate.
“Among the immediate measures announced is the suspension of school study trips and tours until further notice, while the Government undertakes broader consultations and develops long-term interventions to prevent the recurrence of incidents involving learners,” Mugimba reiterated.
The Traffic Annual Crime Report 2025 states that an average of 14 Ugandans die on the country’s roads each day, including approximately two school-going children. The report identifies speeding and reckless driving among the major causes of road traffic crashes.
Michael Kananura, Spokesperson of the Traffic Police Directorate, highlighted the serious road safety situation and the increasing number of traffic violations. He emphasised the need to intensify enforcement operations, with emphasis on route compliance and strengthening the use of smart transport solutions, including the Express Penalty System (EPS), to address traffic indiscipline and improve compliance with road traffic regulations.
It is worth noting that technology alone cannot guarantee safer roads. However, Sustainable improvement
Against this background, the ITMS vividly highlights the role of technology and coordinated stakeholder action in strengthening road safety.
“Through our AI-powered technology, EPS can support improved vehicle identification, monitoring and enforcement while providing relevant authorities with better tools to promote compliance and accountability. We therefore believe that the Express Penalty System is what will bring a social behaviour change on the roads for the safety of our school gong chldren.” Steven Turyarugayo, Public Relations Consultant, ITMS project, noted.
Every child represents Uganda’s future, and the loss of young lives on the roads is a tragedy that affects families, communities and the nation as a whole. The conference highlighted the urgent need for stronger school transport safety measures, improved inspections and smarter enforcement to ensure that children can safely resume travelling again.
