CS Machogu To Change School Bus Designs. Ezekiel Machogu, cabinet secretary for education, has stated that the designs of school buses used today are dangerous and have resulted in horrific accidents.
During her appearance before Parliament on Wednesday, Cs. Machogu revealed that the cars used to transport schoolchildren on the roadways aren’t meant to be buses.
We say, “You want to buy a bus,” and we grab the truck chassis. This has the impact of increasing the likelihood that pupils will die in an accident,” he said.
Machogu underlined that school buses shouldn’t be converted from cars that are primarily used for transporting merchandise; instead, they should put the comfort and safety of their passengers first.
He revealed ongoing efforts within the Ministry of Transport to mandate distinct designs for buses, distinct from those of lorries. Nonetheless, he lamented that legal impediments, namely a pending court case, were hindering progress in this regard.
The ministry’s endeavors in this regard have been thwarted, and it’s regrettable to note that some school buses currently in operation fall far short of the required standards. This issue warrants national discourse,” he asserted.
Machogu implored all stakeholders in the education sector to rally behind this initiative, emphasizing the imperative of safeguarding students against road accidents.
He urged the court to expedite the resolution of the pending case.
CS Machogu To Change School Bus Designs.
The concern was initially raised by Nominated MP Kosgei Jackson Kipkemoi, who underscored the ministry’s negligence in jeopardizing students’ lives by allowing substandard buses on the roads.
Kipkemoi underscored international standards mandating robust bus frames capable of withstanding diverse loads and impacts, particularly vital for the protection of vulnerable passengers 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 queried.
The tragic loss of three pupils in a recent accident in Kiharu, Murang’a County, further underscores the urgency of addressing this issue.
The incident involved a school bus carrying 43 passengers.