Some private vehicle inspection centres (IKTEO) are playing with the safety, and potentially the lives, of schoolchildren, an Audit Service report has found, after 19% of school buses inspected and cleared as suitable by private centres were subsequently judged unsuitable when checked at state inspection centres (KEMO).
Overall, 35% of school buses checked nationally at public inspection centres were found unsuitable, according to the report.
The findings belong to the Audit Service, which carried out the review and prepared a related memorandum. Auditor General Andreas Papakonstantinou has raised questions over the reliability of technical inspections carried out at private IKTEO garages, while also directing criticism at bus companies.
The Auditor General said it was particularly worrying that a significant proportion of buses were not brought to state garages for emergency inspection within three months of being notified, since their non-attendance increases the risk of buses being used whose technical suitability has not been confirmed, with the safety implications that entails.
On this point, the report states that 53% of school buses were not checked at KEMO at all, meaning the buses that were checked represent 47% of the fleet.
District attendance figures
By the November 28, 2025 deadline for inspection, in Nicosia, 83 of 238 buses had been brought in for checks, or 35%. In Limassol, 156 of 222 buses were checked, or 70%. In Larnaca, 36 of 73 buses were checked, or 49%. In Paphos, 30 of 87 buses were checked, or 34%. In the free Famagusta district, 21 of 72 buses were checked, or 29%.
In Famagusta specifically, the report says spot road checks by Road Transport Department (RTD) supervisors found five school buses that had previously been judged unsuitable by RTD Famagusta, but which, despite their official unsuitable classification, continued running student transport routes without a valid certificate of suitability.
The data shows that the largest number of vehicles which failed KEMO technical inspection, despite previously being approved by IKTEO, were found in the Limassol, Larnaca and Famagusta districts.
The Auditor General noted that no district achieved full compliance in bringing buses in for state inspection, though he acknowledged Limassol’s attendance rate was comparatively high, while the other districts recorded low attendance. In Nicosia, despite having the largest total number of school buses of any district, the number that came in for technical inspection was noticeably lower relative to the size of its fleet. Larnaca, Paphos and Famagusta similarly showed a significant gap between their total number of school buses and the number that came in for inspection.
Failure rates by district
Of the school buses that came in for inspection at RTD district offices by November 28, 2025, 35% were judged unsuitable. The report states that in Nicosia, the proportion of buses judged unsuitable was particularly low, which the Audit Service said suggests either better vehicle maintenance or more effective preparation ahead of inspection.
In Famagusta specifically, a high failure rate of 76% was recorded, although the report notes the number of buses checked there was limited, so the figure may not be fully representative. Larnaca and Paphos recorded failure rates of 47%, and Limassol 39%, of the vehicles checked, which the report says shows that the technical suitability of school buses is an issue requiring further attention and appropriate measures.
Newer fleet vehicles prioritised over older ones
The Auditor General also flagged what he described as a misstep by bus companies, noting that the majority of buses brought in for emergency inspection came from contractors’ newer fleets, with limited exceptions, despite a Ministry of Transport directive to prioritise older vehicles. The Audit Service said this may affect the overall picture of the findings, potentially understating the seriousness of the situation, given that older buses are more likely to develop technical problems and fail inspection.
The review followed incidents that came to public attention in 2025 relating to school bus suitability. More than 600 buses are employed countrywide to meet student transport needs, the report notes, underlining the scale of student transport and the need for continuous oversight and systematic checks of buses’ technical condition.
RTD response
Commenting on the Auditor General’s findings, RTD said that during the period of the bus inspections, school bus fire incidents occurred, and due to limited staffing, priority was given to carrying out thorough checks on 65 Mercedes Citaro vehicles, as part of an immediate assessment to ensure the safety of student transport.
On the overall 35% failure rate, RTD said the ministry views it as clear evidence of the added value and effectiveness of emergency technical inspections at KEMO, adding that the technical issues identified had not been picked up during the prior periodic inspection at IKTEO garages.
RTD acknowledged, however, that the 76% failure rate in the Famagusta district is particularly high and differs significantly from the average recorded in other districts, adding that this is a fact that requires special examination.
