BUDAKA | More than 60 students from Ngoma Standard Secondary School in Budaka District are nursing injuries following a serious accident that occurred along the Mbale-Tirinyi highway.
The students were returning from a school event held externally when the vehicle they were travelling in overturned, leaving several in critical condition.
The incident, which happened near Nabweyo Village in Budaka Town Council, involved a blue Isuzu Elf truck, registration number UAS 317S, that carried 70 students, and five teachers.
Seven students who sustained critical injuries are undergoing specialised care at Mbale Regional Referral Hospital while others received treatment at Budaka Health Centre IV.
Reports indicate the truck experienced brake failure, causing it to overturn after rolling backwards on steep hill.
Local police reported that the vehicle was in dangerous mechanical condition (DMC) and was unsuitable for carrying such a large number of passengers.
The driver fled the scene and remains at large.
Police and emergency responders quickly arrived to assist the injured students and transport them to medical facilities while the vehicle was towed to Budaka Police Station for further investigation.
Authorities have voiced their deep concern over the reckless transportation practices involving students, particularly in overloaded and unsafe vehicles.
In 2000, the Ministry of Education and Sports issued guidelines, banning the transportation of students on lorries to address safety concerns and reduce accidents that had resulted in the loss of many young lives.
The guidelines also included a prohibition on transporting students after 8pm to enhance their safety during travel.
However, many schools across the country continue to violate these guidelines.
Public schools, in particular, often cite the inadequacy of resources to hire appropriate vehicles for student transport.
This has raised concerns about student safety and highlighted the ongoing challenges in ensuring compliance with the regulations designed to protect young learners.
