Kapchorwa bus crash: 5 teachers among the dead; Minister orders King David School closed

The government has ordered the temporary closure of Kings David Junior School, Ndejje, following the bus crash in Kapchorwa District that killed 21 people, including five teachers.

Acting Minister of Education and Sports John Chrysostom Muyingo announced the decision on Friday during a visit to the school.

He said classes would remain suspended for at least two weeks as investigations continue and survivors receive counselling.

The minister also confirmed that all school trips and educational tours across Uganda have been suspended pending investigations into the tragedy.

Muyingo said 217 pupils and teachers travelled to Kapchorwa in two buses and two smaller vehicles for a study tour.

He said only one of the buses, carrying 107 pupils and teachers, was involved in the crash.

"A total of 217 students and teachers went on this trip in two buses and two other smaller vehicles. The bus which was carrying 107 students was the one that got in the accident. Twenty-one have been confirmed dead and their bodies have been conveyed to the hospital mortuary in Kapchorwa," Muyingo said.

"Of the 21, five were teachers, including the school director. The injured are 44 and are at Mbale Regional Hospital and preparations are underway to have them brought back," he said.

The minister appealed to parents, local leaders and residents to support the affected children as they recover from the trauma.

"We call upon the people of this community to work hand in hand with the government and the local leadership so that these children get out of this traumatizing situation. We shall put in place measures as the Ministries of Education and Gender to provide counselling to the people involved in this tragedy," he said.

The government, Muyingo said, would prioritise the welfare of learners and teachers while establishing the cause of the crash.

This he said was the reason for the temporary closure of the school and suspension of trips around the country.

“When the mayor was speaking, he requested that we close down this school. He also called for the ban on all school field trips for the time being," he said.

"I want to confirm on behalf of the government that all trips and tours have been suspended all over Uganda. I want us to investigate aggressively what caused this tragedy."

Muyingo said he agreed with Makindye Ssabagabo Mayor Yasin Omari's request to close the school as investigations continue.

"I therefore concur with the mayor that we close down this school for at least two weeks or a month depending on how the investigations go. We don't want to resort to finger-pointing," he said.

The minister revealed that the government had already established a multi-agency committee to investigate the crash.

"I just came out of the multi-agency meeting with security agencies and the Ministry of Health. We have formed a committee at that level to look into this matter," he said.

Authorities are continuing investigations into the cause of the crash as the country mourns one of the deadliest school transport accidents in recent years.