The National Transport and Safety Authority has rolled out an eight-point safety checklist specifically designed for school administrators to ensure the safe movement of learners across the country under the Operation Watoto Wafike Salama initiative.
According to the safety requirements, educational institutions are required to use roadworthy vehicles whenever transporting children and must strictly hire qualified drivers to operate them. To protect pupils in transit, administrators must also confirm that all school buses and vans are properly equipped with functional safety belts.
Vehicle oversight and driver behavior form a crucial pillar of the directives. School management teams are tasked with continuously supervising and monitoring driver conduct on duty. Additionally, institutions must perform checks to confirm that installed speed limiters are fully functional.
The instructions further place strong emphasis on driver sobriety and navigation safety. Administrators must strictly ensure that both the driver and the conductor are not drunk while carrying out their duties. Furthermore, school transport vehicles including buses and vans are required to strictly stick to correct routes.
The National Transport and Safety Authority highlighted that these operational standards are vital because children need to get to school safely. School administrators nationwide are expected to uphold these regulations consistently to maintain maximum safety for student transport.
