The Government of Uganda has announced new measures to improve school transport safety and protect children following growing concerns over road crashes involving learners.
The Ministry of Works and Transport, together with the Uganda Police Force, Ministry of Education and Sports, and the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS), held a high-level stakeholder conference aimed at finding solutions to the increasing risks faced by school-going children while travelling.
The meeting followed a tragic school bus crash in Kapchorwa that claimed the lives of 20 learners, renewing calls for stronger enforcement, better vehicle inspections, and improved accountability among transport operators.
Winston Katushabe, the Commissioner for Transport Regulation and Safety at the Ministry of Works and Transport, said the government remains committed to protecting children through stronger safety measures.
He explained that the Ministry is working to strengthen inspections of school buses and introduce smart enforcement solutions to improve discipline among road users and reduce accidents.
Katushabe added that drivers transporting learners will be required to undergo proper vetting, have valid driving permits, and obtain an official Ministry-issued badge before operating school transport vehicles.
The Ministry of Education and Sports also announced immediate steps to improve learner safety. According to its spokesperson Denis Mugimba, all school administrators must ensure that vehicles transporting learners meet the required safety standards.
He said school transport vehicles must have valid Private Motor Omnibus (PMO) licences with IOV certification, while drivers must possess the correct driving permits for the vehicles they operate. Schools have also been reminded to ensure that all vehicles are roadworthy before carrying learners.
As part of the new measures, the government has suspended school study trips and tours until further notice as it carries out wider consultations and develops long-term solutions to prevent similar tragedies.
The Traffic Police Directorate warned that road safety remains a serious challenge in Uganda, with the Traffic Annual Crime Report 2025 showing that an average of 14 people lose their lives on Ugandan roads every day, including about two school-going children.
Michael Kananura, the Traffic Police spokesperson, said speeding, reckless driving, and failure to follow traffic regulations remain among the leading causes of road crashes. He called for increased enforcement and greater use of technology-based solutions such as the Express Penalty System (EPS) to improve compliance.
Meanwhile, the Intelligent Transport Monitoring System (ITMS) highlighted the role of technology in creating safer roads. Through artificial intelligence-powered systems, ITMS said authorities can improve vehicle identification, monitoring, and enforcement while promoting accountability among road users.
Steven Turyarugayo, Public Relations Consultant for the ITMS project, said smart transport technologies can help create behavioural change among drivers and improve safety for school-going children.
The stakeholders emphasised that technology alone cannot solve road safety challenges but must be combined with stronger enforcement, responsible driving, regular inspections, and cooperation among government agencies, schools, parents, and transport operators.
The government says protecting children on the roads remains a national priority, as every child represents Uganda’s future and deserves safe transport to and from school.
