Gov’t Plan to Change School Bus Design After Increased Accidents

Gov’t Plan to Change School Bus Design After Increased Accidents

Gov’t Plan to Change School Bus Design After Increased Accidents

Ezekiel Machogu, the cabinet secretary for  education, recognized on Wednesday  the risks associated with the current school  bus designs, which have led to tragic accidents.

Speaking in front of Parliament, Machogu disclosed that cars carrying school children shouldn’t be utilized as buses.

“We say you want to buy a bus, and we take the chassis of a truck. This has the impact of increasing the likelihood that pupils will die in an  accident,” he said.

The CS went on to say that school buses shouldn’t be converted from cars meant  to transport luggage; instead, they should be built with the comfort of the people  riding them in mind.

He disclosed that the Ministry of Transportation was working on a plan to make  sure buses are not made to look like lorries.

But he contended that a legal dispute was impeding the scheme. “The ministry was stopped from putting that into practice, and I know that some  of the school buses, including the ones being utilized here, are not even close to  meeting the necessary standards. This is a discussion that our nation ought to have,” he said.

The CS called upon other stakeholders in the education sector to back this initiative to ensure no students are lost in road accidents. He also called upon the court to fast-track the case.

This matter had been raised by Nominated MP Kosgei Jackson Kipkemoi who argued that the ministry was risking the lives of students by allowing these buses on the roads.

Kipkemoi explained that globally, the standards indicate that institutions should pay attention to the frame of the bus to withstand different types of load and impact while on the road. He noted this was a move to protect those on board, especially the vulnerable like children.

“These school buses should have two mandatory features, these are emergency and comfort and safety. I am wondering whether the ministry and the government have established a must policy on all the management of schools that dictate how these buses are built,” he stated.

Three students tragically died in an accident in Kiharu, Murang’a County, on Sunday. 43 people were on the school bus when the tragedy occurred.

This is another incident in a string of school bus collisions that have claimed lives. Over 14 people lost their lives in an accident involving a Pwani University bus near  Kayole in Naivasha in March 2023.

According to information provided by the National Transport and Safety  Authority (NTSA), 649 persons had died in traffic accidents as of February 20.

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