Teachers and proprietors of private schools have expressed concern over the Ministry of Education and Sports' directive suspending all school trips following the recent increase in road accidents, saying the move could negatively affect learners, particularly those studying under the new lower secondary curriculum.
Speaking at the Uganda School for the Deaf in Ntinda, the Chairperson of the National Private Educational Institutions Uganda (NPEIU), Jose Busiku Wanemba, said the suspension should only be temporary because educational trips play a vital role in experiential learning.
"We hope this suspension does not last long because students had prepared to learn a lot through these educational trips, especially those in secondary schools. Suspending school trips is not the solution to the problem of road accidents," Wanemba said.
He noted that while educational trips have been suspended, the Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) has not halted the assessment of practical learning activities under the new competency-based curriculum. This, he said, has left many schools concerned about how learners will attain and demonstrate the required competencies without field-based learning experiences.
Wanemba called for broader measures to improve road safety rather than a prolonged suspension of educational trips, arguing that such excursions remain an important component of holistic education.
Meanwhile, Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Education Officer Gerald Makamba said the authority will closely monitor schools to ensure they comply with the ministry's directive.
"We will monitor schools, especially in Kampala, to ensure they fully implement the minister's directive. No school will be allowed to resume educational trips until we receive further guidance from the Ministry of Education," Makamba said.
He reassured parents, teachers and learners that the suspension is a temporary safety measure intended to protect students as government reviews school transport and travel arrangements following the recent increase in road crashes involving school vehicles.
The remarks were made during the closing ceremony of a month-long handwriting competition for lower primary learners held at the Uganda School for the Deaf in Ntinda.
The competition brought together pupils from 32 schools across Kampala, with participating teachers reporting significant improvement in learners' handwriting and writing confidence.
Representatives from BIC, which supported the initiative, including Victor Wandera Egesa and Anne Kimani, said the programme aims to improve children's handwriting through the proper use of pens while promoting inclusive education for all learners, including children with disabilities.
They said initiatives that strengthen foundational literacy and writing skills remain essential in improving learning outcomes and ensuring every child has an opportunity to succeed.
The Ministry of Education and Sports recently suspended school trips nationwide following a series of fatal road accidents involving school transport, with officials saying the measure will remain in force until further safety guidelines are issued.
