Education ministry signs pact to replace 5,000 school buses in five years

Muscat: The Ministry of Education signed an agreement with Karwa Motors and the Development Bank to replace 5,000 school buses in five years (from 2024 until 2028) at a rate of 1,000 buses a year.

Majid Said Al Bahri, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Education for Administrative and Financial Affairs, said that the Ministry will take measures to carry out the school bus replacement programme over the next 5 years, starting with the oldest buses.

For his part, Dr. Ibrahim Ali Al Balushi, CEO of Karwa Motors, said that the company’s signing of the two agreements constitutes a step forward in the localisation of manufacture industry in Oman and the supply of safe hi-tech transport vehicles.

The Tender Board Secretariat General’s annual meeting was held under the auspices of Dr. Said Mohammed Al Saqri, Minister of Economy. The meeting dealt with achievements of 2023 and 2024 priorities, initiatives and plans.

The Secretariat General of the Tender Board on Sunday signed a uniform framework agreement with Karwa Motors company to replace buses with different technical specifications in all government units to suit their needs.

The agreement was signed during the annual meeting of the Tender Board in Muscat.

Meanwhile, Eng. Badr Salim Al Maamari, Secretary General of the Tender Board, said that the framework agreement would cover the needs of all government units, including the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Transport, Communications and Information Technology.

The framework agreement seeks to accelerate response for requests and support local content, said Al Maamari.