Owners of driving schools implicated in corruption will be penalized accordingly and the school licence revoked, a move aimed at fighting graft reported in these schools and to improve road security.
This is among the resolutions adopted by owners and managers of driving schools in the country, yesterday, as they ended their three-day course in ethics, management and leadership skills organized by Rwanda National Police (RNP).
However, if it’s the school staff involved in any graft case within the school, hewill be suspended and charged individually, according to the resolutions read by their representative, Celestin Rwiyamira.
Rwiyamira, who noted that the course was long overdue, is the owner of Midland Driving School in Kigali.
The driving school proprietors also agreed to give driving licence tests to only candidates who will undergo a mandatory 30 days of training and that all schools include defensive driving – elementary mechanics – on the list of courses offered to their students.
This means that all those registered to seat for driving tests in schools will have to have to first produce a certificate issued by the school at a ticket to any seat for a provisional or practical test.
The move to have only students who attended all the school courses to seat for the driving tests comes at the time Rwanda National Police is working around the clock to improve on road safety through various channels and to involve all stakeholders in fighting graft, which is also reported in these schools.
But they requested that the traffic police release results of their students not later than two weeks contrary to before where it would take about a month.
Other resolutions include the need for the law governing driving schools, set a uniform date for the monthly driving licence tests, all staff of all the 67 schools in the country to attain the same course. Police and Rwanda Utilities and Regulatory Agency (RURA) are requested in the process to constitute a team to inspect these schools on their performance and standards, all aimed at offering quality services and producing skilled drivers.
Mr. Fidele Ndayisaba, the Mayor of the City of Kigali, who presided over the closure held at the Police Headquarters in Kacyiru, described the course as “crucial and timely to curb down the rate of road accidents and enforce road security.”
Mr. Ndayisaba thanked police for its “tremendous contribution” to good governance in the country, which tops other development pillars.
He observed that development of the transport sector contributes much to the country’s economic development, but added that it can be a blow to the economy if it’s not controlled.
“Enforcing road traffic security requires all stakeholder including you – driving schools,” stated Mr. Ndayisaba, adding that the transport sector can tarnish the country’s image if it offers poor services since it’s the first service offered to foreigners when they come in the country.
He promised to follow up on their needs such as the law governing driving schools and other issues aimed at improving the quality of the transport sector.
The Inspector General of Police, Emmanuel K. Gasana thanked them for their big turn-up for the course which he said is a positive node to the development of the transport sector and enhancing road security.
He said the force will award outstanding schools with certificates of merits and pledged support in their endeavor to offer quality services and quality standards.
He said the course, which also covered areas of public transport policy, road safety and service delivery, will also be offered to owners and staff of transport and insurance companies.
