Schools and parents permitting buses to pick up students before 6am or drop them off past 6pm risk government action, as the Ministry of Education moves to strictly enforce regulations barring such operations.

On Wednesday,  Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok raised concern over widespread disregard of the bus timing rules, stating that many schools continue to operate outside the designated hours despite the directive remaining in force.

“For school buses, our regulations are very clear. Basic education regulations require that buses should not be on the road beyond 6pm or before 6am,” said Bitok.

He made it clear that the rule applies to all institutions, public or private, and warned of consequences for schools or drivers found breaching the regulation.

“I want to call on all our drivers and stakeholders: let us stick to the rules. That is the policy of the government, and everybody is directed,” he added.

To tighten oversight, county directors of education have been instructed to heighten vigilance and crack down on non-compliant schools and bus operators.

The 6am to 6pm school transport rule was first introduced in 2018 after a number of fatal school bus accidents. One of the worst tragedies occurred in Mwingi, where 10 students lost their lives in a night-time crash, prompting urgent reforms in school transport policies.

In response to the crisis, the Ministry of Education under then Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i directed that all school buses be painted yellow and only operate between 6am and 6pm.

The Traffic Amendment Act of 2017, which modified the Traffic Act (Cap 403), introduced further measures such as requiring school bus drivers to have at least five years of driving experience and to undergo vetting or special training.

Although enforcement of the rules has been uneven over the years, PS Bitok insisted that the guidelines remain active and should be adhered to by all education institutions.

County education offices have also been given the mandate to coordinate with the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) and local law enforcement in cases where school buses violate the law.

Such buses may be impounded or subjected to further investigation under national safety standards.