By Kamugisha Leonard Akida,
WAKISO
The Government has ordered the temporary closure of King David Junior School in Ndejje, Makindye Ssabagabo Municipality, Wakiso District, following Thursday’s bus crash in Kapchorwa District that claimed the lives of pupils, teachers and the school director.
At least 21 people, including five teachers, died when the school bus overturned at Chekwatit Village in Kawowo Sub-county after reportedly hitting a large roadside rock. The pupils were returning from an educational tour to Sipi Falls when the accident occurred.
Addressing anxious parents who had gathered at the school awaiting information about their children, the acting Education Minister, Dr John Chrysestom Muyingo, announced that the school would remain closed for two weeks to allow families and the community to mourn as investigations into the crash continue.
“All trips and tours in schools have been suspended across the country. The school has also been closed for a period of two weeks to allow parents, the school and the community to mourn, while investigations take place,” Muyingo said.
He added that the Government had suspended all school trips nationwide until further notice as authorities review safety measures governing educational excursions.
The bodies of the deceased were taken to Kapchorwa Mortuary postmortem examination, while the injured were admitted to Kaserem Health Centre IV, Kapchorwa General Hospital and Mbale Regional Referral Hospital. Muyingo noted that efforts were ongoing for identification of the bodies by relatives and transfer the casualties to hospitals in Kampala.
Makindye Ssabagabo Municipal Education Officer Pauline Nsangi welcomed the decision, saying it had been reached jointly by the Government and the municipal council to give the affected families and the school community time to grieve.
The school’s Director of Studies, Alfred Mutenyu, said the temporary closure would enable pupils, teachers and parents to begin the healing process after the tragedy.
“We are closing for two weeks. Everyone who has a child should go to the staffroom for verification before we hand over the child,” Mutenyu told parents.
He said pupils who survived the crash were expected to return to the school later on Friday for reunification with their families.
Police officers, officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports, and counsellors from Serenity Minds remained deployed at the school to provide security and psychosocial support to bereaved families, survivors and members of staff.
