Newsroom
Cyprus officials say they are stepping up checks on school buses ahead of the new school year, following growing concerns about safety and a recent audit report.
The Department of Road Transport said that 70% of the school transport fleet has already been inspected during the 2025–2026 school year, with more checks still underway. It also said it has given strict instructions to everyone involved to fully follow safety rules, taking into account findings from extra inspections and recommendations from the audit service.
The move comes after the auditor general highlighted problems in how school buses are being checked and whether they are properly meeting technical safety standards.
According to the department, some of the issues were already picked up during surprise inspections carried out at Motor Vehicle Inspection Centres (KEMO). In some cases, buses were repaired and put back on the road, while others were taken out of school transport completely.
Officials also reminded us that, in recent years, school buses must now pass a technical inspection within three months before each school year starts, an extra safety layer added on top of regular checks.
The department said it is also taking action against contractors who fail to comply, including fines and penalties under their contracts. In cases where buses were approved at private inspection centers (IKTEO) but later found to be unsafe during state checks, investigations are now underway.
Some cases, including in the Famagusta district, involve buses operating without valid safety certificates. Those files have already been passed to the police.
At the same time, training is being updated for inspectors who check heavier vehicles like buses in an effort to improve the system.
Parents’ groups, however, say they are not reassured.
The Pancyprian Confederation of Parents’ Associations of Public Secondary Schools said the findings confirm what many parents feared. They claim that 35% of buses inspected were found to be unsuitable, even though many had passed private inspection checks, and that more than half had missed mandatory technical inspections altogether.
They described the situation as “unacceptable” and called for strict penalties for anyone breaking the rules, saying student safety should never be compromised.
The group has urged the Ministry of Transport to act quickly and make sure the system is properly enforced before schools reopen.
For now, inspections and investigations are continuing, as authorities try to restore confidence in how school transport is being handled.
