- The High Court, through its senior judge Roselyn Aburili, has issued a strong caution against the hiring of school buses for private events
- The warning was made in a ruling related to a school bus accident
- Justice Aburili emphasized that using school buses for weddings, funerals, or religious functions often violates insurance policies specifically designed for educational purposes
High Court Judge Roselyn Aburili has delivered a stern warning against the use of school buses for private events, cautioning both schools and the public about the severe legal and financial risks that come with this practice.
The ruling stems from a tragic incident involving a school bus hired to transport church members to a religious event on April 23, 2023.
The bus, insured under a policy exclusively covering educational activities, was involved in an accident.
The resulting legal case highlighted the potentially disastrous consequences of using school buses for non-educational purposes.
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Justice Aburili’s judgment revealed that the insurance policy explicitly excluded coverage for passengers not affiliated with the school, leaving the victims unprotected.
During her ruling, Justice Aburili expressed deep concern over the widespread but risky practice of hiring out school buses for weddings, funerals, religious functions, and other private events.
“Schools are essentially breaching the terms of their insurance policies when they allow their buses to be used for commercial purposes,” she stated, stressing that these activities typically fall outside the scope of insurance coverage.
The ruling sends shockwaves through both the education and transport sectors, where hiring school buses for private events has become a common yet risky practice.
Schools often justify the practice as a way to raise extra funds, particularly in an era where budgets are stretched thin.
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However, as Justice Aburili pointed out, these financial gains pale in comparison to the potential liabilities in the event of an accident.
“School buses are insured with the intent of ensuring the safety of students and staff during school-related activities.
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When institutions violate this by using the vehicles for purposes outside of their insurance policy, they expose themselves to enormous risks—financial and otherwise,” she warned.
Legal experts suggest that this judgment will likely prompt insurance companies to scrutinize school bus insurance policies more closely, and it may lead to stricter regulations around how school vehicles are utilized.
Schools, on the other hand, may need to reconsider their current practices, as the ruling opens up the possibility of legal action in cases where insurance does not cover non-educational activities.
