What you need to know:
- The late-night bus accident on August 3 claimed the lives of two pupils and left many others injured. The accidents occurred while they were travelling from Kasese District to Kampala.
Following a bus accident that killed two pupils of Daystar Junior School in Makindye, Kampala, parents have called on the government to act quickly to improve safety during school trips. The late-night bus accident on August 3 claimed the lives of two pupils and left many others injured.
The accidents occurred while they were travelling from Kasese District to Kampala. Reflecting on the tragedy, Ms Rachael Nagasha, a parent, stressed that safety measures for children in schools should be prioritised and strictly followed by the Ministry of Education and Sports for schools intending to organise tours.
They suggested that travelling time must be restricted, and the drivers' qualifications and experience checked before allowing them to drive vehicles carrying children.
“This tragedy could have been prevented if our children were not traveling late at night with an exhausted driver,” Ms Nagasha said, adding: “We demand that the Ministry of Education and Sports take immediate action to regulate school tour travel times and ensure that our children are safe.”
Mr David Mawanda, another parent, called on the government to take action to prevent such tragedies in the future, including strict rules on driver working hours, vehicle maintenance, and emergency preparedness.
“Our children are our future, and it is the government's responsibility to protect them. We shall not rest until we see changes. It is worth our collective action. We need more than just words; we need action,” Mr Mawanda recounted.
Grief at school At the school yesterday, the atmosphere was dominated by grief and disruptions, as the school community and survivors of the accident struggled to come to terms with the loss of two young lives.
The school was closed for one week to mourn the loss of their learners until Monday next week. The school's gates, once a hub of activity and excitement, were now a scene of solemn reflection, with parents, pupils, and staff gathered in mourning.
As the school community navigated this difficult time, the focus was on providing comfort and support to those affected while also seeking to prevent such tragedies in the future.
A service was also organised at the school compound yesterday to pray for the lives of the two children who perished in the accident. Speaking to this publication, Mr Ezra Luhira, the dean of students, said the bus was carrying about 70 pupils and four staff members. The deceased pupils, who died on the spot, have been identified as Phiona Kakembo and Pamela Nabasumba. Ten others who sustained injuries were taken to hospital and many were later discharged.
“We have closed the school for one week up to Monday next week, to allow our pupils and teachers to fully recover from this horror. It was a bad experience for us. We have been in the education system for over 10 years, and we have never encountered such heartbreak. This is the most critical time we have ever experienced. We have been conducting tours every year; we don’t know why this year it is devastating for us,” Mr Luhira recounted.
He said the late Kakembo was buried in Mukono and Nabasumba in Masaka, noting that the school director, Mr Jude Nyanzi, is still in the hospital nursing wounds. Ms Irene Nasikombi, the head teacher of the school, who sustained injuries in the accident, narrated the horror of her daughter Nabasumba dying while she looked on helplessly. Ms Nansikombi said at the time the tragedy happened, she was seated nest to her daughter.
She urged parents not to take their children away from the school because of the accident.
“When the bus crashed, I took the initiative to save every child to get medical attention. I was so broken to see my own daughter dead; her face was destroyed beyond recognition. She was severely injured, her head cut by the machine of the bus. I had nothing to do but continue rescuing other pupils,” Ms Nansikombi recounted.
She added, “All along, my daughter has been telling me she will die while serving God. She could always move with a Bible, and sometimes she could move with my books and return them when she had written in Biblical scriptures. It is so heartbreaking, but we believe God has taken her to serve him.”
New guidelines
On May 16, the Ministry of Education and Sports issued new guidelines on school trips to protect learners. They include: Travel must conclude before 6pm on tour days. Schools must submit approved itineraries including overnight accommodations and designated stopovers.
Kindergarten children are not permitted on school trips, while lower primary students are only allowed in exceptional cases. All trip details (routes, number of students, teacher contact info) must be communicated to the police.
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