NSSF urges parents to ensure school transport vehicles have valid licenses
By Valerian Khakayi, August 27, 2025The National Social Security Fund (NSSF) has called on parents to ensure that the vehicles transporting their children to and from school have valid licenses.
In a statement shared on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, as the new school term resumes, NSSF officials stressed that it is the responsibility of every parent to verify that school buses and matatus comply with all legal requirements, including roadworthiness and proper registration.
“Ni jukumu la kila mzazi kuhakikisha magari yanayosafirisha watoto wao shuleni yana leseni halali,(It is the responsibility of every parent to ensure that the vehicles transporting their children to school have valid licenses)”NSSF statement read.
The NSSF statement reiterates NTSA’s position that regular vehicle inspections, adherence to traffic rules, and compliance with licensing requirements are crucial for protecting students and ensuring safe journeys to school.
NTSA on school transport
This comes after the transport authority issued a safety checklist for school administrators that stresses the need for safe and responsible transportation of children.
In a statement on August 21, 2025, the authority has emphasised the list below for the administrators:
Free motor vehicle inspection clinics across all NTSA centres. Use roadworthy vehicles to transport children, hire qualified drivers and ensure buses are equipped with safety belts.
Similarly, NTSA noted that other measures, including supervising and monitoring driver conduct, ensure the speed limiter is functional, ensure the driver and conductor are not drunk and ensure the school bus/van uses the correct route.
Further, the authority has launched Operation Watoto Wafike Salama, a nationwide safety campaign that will offer free motor vehicle inspection clinics for school transport vehicles on Saturday, August 23, 2025.
The clinics will run from 09:00 am to 3:00 pm at designated NTSA inspection centres and are designed to assess the roadworthiness of buses and vans used to ferry learners and to advise owners and schools on corrective measures required for compliance.
NTSA inspectors will carry out comprehensive safety assessments of school transport vehicles.
Checks will focus on braking systems, tyres, lights, seat belts and the general mechanical condition of each vehicle.
Inspectors will verify that vehicles hold valid inspection certificates, a current road service licence and insurance cover.
Drivers will be required to present valid driving licences and PSV badges.
The authority has emphasised that functional speed limiters must be fitted and actively transmitting data to the Intelligent Road Safety Management System, IRSMS.