“Paint School Buses Yellow Or Stop Transporting Learners,” Gov’t Orders Schools

By Swift Reporter

The government has announced a raft of new school transport safety measures, including a mandatory requirement for all vehicles transporting learners to be painted yellow, following the fatal King David Junior School bus crash in Kapchorwa that claimed the lives of several pupils and left others injured.

The reforms were announced in a joint statement by the Ministry of Education and Sports, the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Ministry of ICT and National Guidance, and the Ministry of Gender, Labour and Social Development. They are intended to strengthen child safety and improve the regulation of school transport across the country.

Speaking on the new measures, ICT and National Guidance Minister Kasule Lumumba said the government would require all vehicles transporting learners to be painted yellow to make them easily identifiable by motorists and law enforcement agencies.

“The government will introduce a requirement for all vehicles transporting learners to be painted yellow for easy identification,” Lumumba said.

The requirement will apply to all institutions transporting learners, including nurseries, kindergartens, primary and secondary schools, universities, and other learning institutions.

In addition to the new identification system, the government announced mandatory mechanical inspections for all vehicles used on school trips to ensure they are roadworthy before carrying learners.

Drivers transporting large groups of learners will also be required to obtain clearance from the Ministry of Works and Transport and possess valid Public Service Vehicle (PSV) government badges.

Schools will no longer be allowed to organise educational trips without prior approval from their respective District Education Officers. Compliance with the new regulations will be enforced jointly by the Ministry of Works and Transport and the Uganda Police Force’s Directorate of Traffic.

To strengthen oversight, the government has established an Inter-Ministerial Committee to develop additional licensing regulations for vehicles transporting children.

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education and Sports has suspended all school study trips and educational tours involving group travel until further notice as investigations into the Kapchorwa crash continue.

The government said the reforms were informed by lessons from the Kapchorwa tragedy and are aimed at preventing similar accidents while improving the safety of learners travelling on Uganda’s roads.

The announcement comes amid growing public concern over the safety standards governing school transport, with authorities urging schools and transport operators to fully comply with the new requirements once they take effect.