154 clandestine driving schools identified

This discovery follows an investigation report made public yesterday by the Ministry of Transport.

According to an investigation carried out by the Ministry of Transport about 442 driving schools exist in the country. 102 of them operate in conformity with the law while 169 do not fully conform to the law biding the creation of driving schools in the country and 154 operate without authorisation.

The findings were presented to the public yesterday, November 3, 2014 by the Minister of Transport, Robert Nkili as he presided over a meeting with proprietors of driving schools within the framework of an on-going consultation with transport operators to find lasting solutions to road safety in the country.

The Minister of Transport lamented that in spite of efforts to cleanse the sector of illegal driving schools; recent reports still indicate that much is still to be done. As such, he announced the suspension of the deliverance of authorisation for people to open new driving schools while urging those which already exist to conform to the existing laws.

During discussions with owners of driving schools, Robert Nkili questioned why some driving schools will say they train people to obtain international driving licences as well as driving permits to drive heavy duty vehicles when in fact no driving school has the equipment necessary to provide such training. Robert Nkili told proprietors of driving schools that the government is seeking ways to move from driving schools to automobile training centres. Reasons why there is the need to revamp the sector and make reforms effective.

The proprietors of driving schools decried the fact that many people who own driving licences have never been to a driving school and that some of the road safety control teams do not do their job well.

While they refused to take the blame for most road accidents that occur on our highway nowadays, Minister Robert Nkili urged them to cleanse the sector before going into areas that is not within their competence such as the issuing of driving licences.

The Minister of Transport said everybody has to play his or her own role in curbing road accidents. He reiterated “play your roles in training people how to drive and acquire the necessary equipment needed to train learners.” He was however lenient to say no driving school will be closed down but called on defaulters to regularise their situation.