At least 24 school pupils have lost their lives in a devastating bus crash during school excursion in Uganda, in one of the country’s deadliest road tragedies involving children recent years.
The school victims were pupils of King David Junior School in Kampala, who had travelled to the popular Sipi Falls for an educational trip.
The fatal crash has plunged families, classmates, teachers, and community into mourning as emergency responders work tirelessly to rescue survivors from the wreckage, as the operation involved cutting through the damaged bus to free trapped passengers before they were rushed for emergency medical treatment.
According to Uganda Police Force, the bus crashed along the Kaserem section of the Kapchorwa-Mbale Road after the driver reportedly lost control of the vehicle.
Several other pupils and adults sustained serious injuries and were rushed to nearby hospitals for treatment as three more pupils later died from their injuries, raising the death toll to 24.
Following the tragedy, the Ugandan government announced an indefinite suspension of all school excursions and educational trips across the country.
Authorities have also launched an investigation into the cause of the crash, while President Yoweri Museveni and other leaders expressed condolences to the bereaved families.
The tragedy has once again raised concerns about the safety of school transportation across Africa.
Road safety experts stress that buses carrying children should be subject to rigorous inspections, qualified drivers, regular maintenance, and strict adherence to speed limits.
Crashes involving school buses are among the most heartbreaking road tragedies because they affect children and entire communities.
Educational excursions provide valuable learning opportunities, but ensuring the safe movement of pupils must remain a top priority for schools, transport operators, and government agencies.
-9News Nigeria.
