Road safety to be taught in lower primary schools

Uneb chairman Fagil Mandy (2nd R) and other officials. Photo by Rachel Mabala

Kampala-The Ministry of Education will include road safety studies on the lower primary curriculum to sensitise pupils about road use in order to reduce road accidents involving school children. The lessons are expected to start next year.

This was revealed during a workshop on increasing road accidents involving school-going children, especially from primary one to four.

A study by Uganda Road Accident Reduction Network Organisation (URRENO) and funded by CrossRoads Challenge Fund, indicated that pupils in schools located along highways are at the mercy of other roads users.

“Schools should set up Road Safety Clubs and promote road safety education among the pupils,” Mr Cuthbert Isingoma, URRENO’s programme manager, said while presenting the findings in Kampala last week.

A 2011 report by the Ministry of Works indicated that at least 400 children, mostly pedestrians, are killed in road accidents every year.

Mr Godfrey Ntubire, the coordinator Road Safety Education at the National Curriculum Development Centre, said there was great need “to increase learners’ knowledge, understandings and skills in the proper use of roads to avoid avoidable accidents and deaths.”

“The major challenge is the absence of support materials for the teachers to handle this theme,” he added. Already pupils in P.5 and above are undertaking lessons on road safety. The chairman of Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB), Mr Fagil Mandy, said.

He said students spend most of their time sitting for exams, and are not exposed to acquire life-saving skill, something that should change.