Published on 05/08/2025
Members of Parliament have called for the immediate regulation and enforcement of safety guidelines for school trips following a tragic accident on Saturday, 02 August 2025 on Mityana Road.
Two pupils from Daystar Junior School in Makindye Division died in the accident while 11 others were seriously injured as they returned from their excursion to Kasese District.
Raising the matter of national importance on Tuesday, 05 August 2025, Kalungu West County Member of Parliament, Hon. Joseph Ssewungu questioned the Ministry of Education’s oversight in authorising school excursions involving children.
“The Ministry of Education should come to explain how trips are conducted in schools, the time of driving, the advance planning and age restrictions. I am still wondering how a school can get nursery kids from Kampala to go for an excursion to Kasese,” he said.
Ssewungu, also a former teacher, expressed disbelief at the decision to subject children some reportedly in nursery and lower primary to such long-distance travel.
“Whether it is a P1 child up to P3, sending them on that journey, , is unprecedented,” he added.
According to police reports cited in the House, the driver of the bus is believed to have fallen asleep leading to the fatal crash.
Ssewungu emphasised the need for immediate investigation and accountability from the Ministry of Education.
“What exactly are the guidelines and what instructions are they giving to this kind of behaviour?” he asked.
Beyond safety, Ssewungu also raised questions about the financial burden these trips place on parents.
“How can a trip be charged money above the fees you are paying in that particular school and yet some of them don’t eat?”, he added.
Speaker Anita Among re-echoed the concerns expanding the debate to highlight more troubling transport arrangements.
“I have even seen students and pupils on lorries. At least those ones were in a bus, but full in a lorry!” she wondered.
Speaker Among warned of growing inequality and possible exploitation, particularly in trips organised outside the country.
“If I am a parent who cannot afford, and you are saying these children should go out of the country, won’t there be discrimination? Aren’t we extorting from parents?” she asked.
The Minister of State for Trade, Industry and Cooperatives (Industry), Hon. David Bahati speaking on behalf of government, assured the House that the Ministry of Education and Sports will respond to the concerns.
“We will convey these concerns to the Minister for Education and Sports and I am sure in the course of next week, they will be able to come and make a statement,” he said.
