The Ministry of Education through Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha issued a directive on the 31st of July, 2021 directing that school buses are banned for hire and use by the public.
CS Magoha issued the directive while at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) where he said that the hiring of school buses for functions that are not academic is illegal.
Anybody who wants to use the school buses for functions like weddings, political events, funerals, and many more of that kind will have to seek permission from the Ministry of Education.
According to the Ministry of Education, CS Magoha’s directive on school buses is meant to curb the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and to prevent school facilities from being misused.
It has been revealed that some people who hire school buses use them and return them to their respective schools without fumigating them, hence posing a danger to learners, teachers, and other school staff.
However, the directive has not gone down well with many who are involved in the acquisition of the school buses like Members of Parliament via channels like the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) opposing it.
Many Kenyans who live in the neighborhood of schools have also come forward to complain saying that the directive is not fair especially as people do hire the school buses at a fee. In all instances, it is the school driver who goes out with the buses and therefore ensures no damage is caused due to careless driving.
However, it is expected that the directive will play a role in the prevention of COVID-19 nonetheless.