The fund said the drivers face charges of driving under the influence of drugs, and that it is coordinating with the Education Ministry to dismiss any driver confirmed to work at schools.
Testing inside school premises will continue throughout the term and expand to more governorates, while parents are urged to report suspected drug use by drivers through the fund’s 16023 hotline.
Fund director Amr Othman received a report on the results of early-detection campaigns for drug use among school bus drivers during the first month of the school year, the fund said in a statement.
The campaigns were carried out with the General Administration for Drug Control, the General Administration of Traffic, the Central Administration of the General Secretariat of Mental Health at the Health Ministry, and the Central Administration for Security at the Education Ministry.
The campaigns covered 2,594 drivers in several governorates. Samples from 15 drivers tested positive for hashish and Tramadol, and the drivers were referred to the Public Prosecution on charges of driving under the influence of drugs.
The fund said it is also coordinating with the Education Ministry to dismiss them if it is confirmed that they work at schools.
Drivers are tested for drugs inside school premises, and those who test positive face legal action. The new academic year began on 12 September for public and private schools, with more than 25 million students enrolled at over 27,000 schools.
The fund urged families and parents to call its 16023 hotline if they suspect school bus drivers of using drugs.
It said sudden, immediate, and confidential campaigns will be sent to test the drivers in question, and those who test positive will face legal action and referral to the Public Prosecution on charges of driving under the influence of drugs.
The fund listed warning signs that may indicate a driver is using drugs: red eyes, dark circles under the eyes, aggressive behaviour, loss of balance, driving very fast or very slowly, and poor judgment of distances.
Othman outlined the priorities of Egypt’s national anti-addiction strategy at a national dialogue with the World Health Organization (WHO) in Cairo in July, including expanding prevention programmes in schools and youth centres and supporting families through early-detection initiatives.
Road accident deaths in Egypt rose 10.8 percent in 2025 to 5,829, from 5,260 in 2024, according to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS).
The cabinet approved amendments to toughen traffic penalties in December 2025, but the House of Representatives approved the government’s request in February 2026 to withdraw them pending a broader integrated traffic bill.
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