Government Suspends All School Trips Nationwide After Fatal Kapchorwa Bus Crash

The Government of Uganda has suspended all school trips and educational excursions nationwide with immediate effect following a fatal road crash involving pupils from King David Junior School in Makindye.

The suspension was announced on Friday by Acting Minister of Education and Sports Dr John Chrysostom Muyingo as grief continued to engulf the school following the tragedy.

King David Junior School has also been closed for two weeks to give pupils, staff and affected families time to mourn and recover from the incident.

While visiting the school, Muyingo expressed the ministry’s condolences to the families who lost loved ones and wished injured pupils a speedy recovery.

“The Ministry of Education and Sports is deeply saddened by the recent road accidents involving school trips,” Muyingo said.

He stressed that educational trips remain an important part of the learning process but warned that the safety of learners must always come first.

“As an immediate precautionary measure, all school trips and educational excursions are hereby suspended with immediate effect until further notice,” he announced.

The government said the suspension will remain in place as the Ministry of Education reviews existing guidelines and develops stronger safety measures for school travel.

Muyingo directed the Permanent Secretary to urgently review all policies governing school trips and educational excursions.

Schools Ordered to Strengthen Travel Safety

Schools have been reminded to comply with strict safety requirements when school travel activities resume.

The measures include using only licensed and roadworthy vehicles, ensuring that drivers are properly qualified and have good safety records, and carrying out comprehensive risk assessments before any journey.

Schools are also expected to obtain the necessary approvals, keep parents fully informed about travel arrangements, avoid overnight journeys where possible, ensure drivers are adequately rested and maintain proper teacher-to-learner supervision throughout trips.

The Ministry of Education and Sports said it is working with the Uganda Police Force, the Ministry of Works and Transport and other relevant agencies to investigate recent crashes involving learners and strengthen road safety measures.

Parents Demand Answers After Kapchorwa Crash

At King David Junior School, anxious parents gathered on Friday as they sought information about their children following the fatal crash.

Some parents reportedly confronted Muyingo upon his arrival and demanded urgent action to prevent similar incidents.

“First ban these school trips,” one distraught parent was heard saying, accusing some school proprietors of putting children’s lives at risk.

The school’s Director of Studies later announced that the institution would close for two weeks to allow learners, staff and families to grieve following the tragedy.

Some parents had already begun withdrawing their children from school trips amid growing concerns over the safety of learners travelling on long journeys.

What Happened in the Kapchorwa Bus Crash?

The latest tragedy occurred on Thursday evening in Kapchorwa District, eastern Uganda, as pupils returned from a study tour to Sipi Falls.

Preliminary reports indicate that the school bus developed mechanical problems during the journey. Questions have also been raised about the condition of the vehicle and whether it may have been overloaded at the time of the crash.

Authorities are expected to investigate the circumstances surrounding the accident and establish whether any safety regulations were breached.

Muyingo urged school proprietors, governing boards, headteachers, transport providers and parents to work together to protect learners.

He said the safety of children must remain the highest priority whenever schools organise educational trips or any other form of travel.