All school buses must be yellow, Fred Matiang'i says

Acting Education CS Fred Matiang'i. He announced on January 12, 2018 that all school buses must be painted yellow by March 30 in line with the law. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • The Traffic Amendment Act 2016 requires that all school buses and vans be yellow in colour and the name of the school be written in black.
  • Speed limits for the vehicles will be 50 kilometres per hour and they will be allowed to operate between 6am and 6pm only.

All school buses and vans will be painted yellow, acting Education CS Fred Matiang’i ordered on Friday as he announced new measures by the Ministry of Education.

Matiang’i, who is also the Interior ministry cabinet secretary, said the directive is in line with the Traffic Amendment Act passed by Parliament in 2016 and which will also require school buses to have safety belts for all students.

YELLOW BUSES

The school's name, the Act says, will be written on buses and vans in black.

“All schools, should by March 30, ensure that their buses and vans are painted yellow as required by the law. We will not accept excuses on this issue.” he said in a meeting at the Kenya School of Government in Nairobi.

Speed limits for the vehicles will be 50 kilometres per hour and they will be allowed to operate between 6am and 6pm only, according to the Act.

But while some institutions have already adopted the changes, a majority of public schools are yet to adhere to the regulations.

The directive by the CS borrows from institutions in the United States and Canada that have their school buses and vans painted yellow. A similar proposal has been mooted in the United Kingdom.

CURRICULUM 

And in a raft of measures by the ministry, aimed at streamlining the education sector ahead of the rollout of the new curriculum.

The Cabinet secretary also cautioned principals of day secondary schools against charging parents extra levies, against the recommended fee guidelines issued by the government.

The proposals by the ministry also seek to give regional and county commissioners the responsibilities to chair county education boards.