By Johnson Kanyesige
The Ministry of Education and Sports has directed all schools with learners currently on study trips or educational tours to immediately report to the nearest police station for guidance and support as government moves to tighten safety measures following the fatal Kapchorwa school bus crash.
The directive was announced on Friday by the Acting Minister of Education and Sports, Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo, during an inter-ministerial briefing convened after the accident involving learners of King David Junior School.
The crash claimed the lives of 21 learners and five school staff members, making it one of the deadliest school transport accidents in recent years.
Dr. Muyingo said the Uganda Police Force has been tasked with coordinating the safe return of all learners currently away on school trips.
“Schools that are already on an ongoing study trip or tour are instructed to stop at the nearest police station for further guidance and assistance on how to return safely to their respective schools,” he said.
As an immediate measure, the ministry has suspended all study tours and educational trips requiring learners to travel by road, both within Uganda and across borders, until further notice.
The decision is part of emergency interventions aimed at preventing a repeat of the Kapchorwa tragedy.
Dr Muyingo said the Ministry of Education had already issued comprehensive safety guidelines for school trips through a circular dated May 16, 2025.
The guidelines require schools to obtain approval from governing bodies before undertaking trips, assess the educational value and safety of each excursion, ensure vehicles are mechanically sound, carry only licensed passenger capacity, notify the Uganda Police Force before departure and conduct journeys only between 6am and 6pm.
The guidelines also prohibit nursery and kindergarten learners from participating in school trips.
According to Muyingo, the circular was distributed to heads of educational institutions, Kampala Capital City Authority, local governments, district and city education officers, boards of governors and school management committees, all of whom are expected to enforce the measures.
However, he acknowledged that despite the existing guidelines, the Kapchorwa crash had exposed gaps in enforcement and the need for additional safeguards.
To address these challenges, Muyingo said the Ministry of Education and Sports will, within seven days, constitute an inter-ministerial task force to develop comprehensive regulations governing study tours and educational trips.
“The safety and well-being of learners remains a top priority of the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Government of Uganda,” he said.
He extended condolences to families that lost loved ones in the crash and wished a speedy recovery to those injured.
Government has since launched a broader inter-ministerial response involving the ministries responsible for education, transport, health, internal affairs and disaster preparedness to investigate the cause of the accident and strengthen safety standards for school transport across the country.
