The Long Ride to School: Are Our Children Safe?
Recently, I witnessed a tragic accident where three children were knocked off a boda by a careless rider. It left me asking one question, how safe are our children on their way to and from school?
Across Uganda, it is now common to see children packed onto motorcycles, sometimes three or four at once, without helmets or supervision. Many of these riders are untrained, rushing through traffic to beat time. For most parents, bodas seem like the only option, especially when schools are far from home.
Some children travel from one district to another every day for school. What should be a short trip becomes a long and risky journey through busy roads. Each ride is a chance taken, not a guarantee of safety.
Children are among the most vulnerable road users. They are small, easily overlooked by drivers, and depend entirely on adults for safe transport. Yet the systems meant to protect them are weak. Few boda riders are licensed to carry children, and most motorcycles are poorly maintained.
Parents should explore options such as committing to school vans, personally walking children to school, or enrolling them in boarding school where possible. Local leaders should encourage parents to enrol children in nearby schools to reduce these long and dangerous commutes.
Every child deserves to reach school and return home safely. The daily ride to learn should never put their lives at risk. It is time we treat children’s safety on the road as seriously as their education.