Government Issues New Rules to Schools That Affect Parents.
Schools and parents permitting school buses to collect students before 6am or drop them off after 6pm will face penalties as the government moves to strictly enforce regulations prohibiting operations outside approved hours.
On Wednesday, August 6, Basic Education Permanent Secretary Julius Bitok cautioned that many schools continue running buses far beyond the permitted times, despite the existing rules.
“For school buses, our guidelines are explicit. The basic education regulations state that buses must not operate before 6am or after 6pm.”
The PS emphasized that the rule applies to all schools, public or private, warning of government action against violators.
“I urge all drivers and stakeholders to comply. This is government policy, and everyone must adhere.”
County education directors have been instructed to intensify monitoring to identify and penalize schools and drivers breaking the rule.
The 6am-6pm school bus policy was introduced in 2018 after several accidents involving school buses, including a fatal Mwingi crash that killed 10 students at night.
Back then, former Education CS Fred Matiang’i mandated yellow bus paint and restricted travel to the designated hours.
The Education Ministry was also tasked with implementing the Traffic Amendment Act 2017 on school transport, but enforcement has been inconsistent over the years.
The amended Traffic Act (Cap 403) required school bus drivers to have at least five years of experience and specialized training.
Despite patchy enforcement, Bitok affirmed the rule remains active, urging county directors to take stronger action against violators.
Since operating outside approved hours breaches safety standards, county directors may collaborate with the NTSA or police to impound offending buses or launch probes.
Government Issues New Rules to Schools That Affect Parents.
