Yumbe school closed indefinitely over violent strike

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Authorities in Yumbe district have ordered the indefinite closure of Romogi Seed Secondary School following a violent student strike that left significant destruction of school property.

The decision was reached jointly by local leaders and the school’s Board of Governors after boarding students staged a strike on the night of March 30, 2026, causing damage to several structures within the school premises.

Reports indicate that the striking students destroyed window glass and doors of classrooms, administrative offices, and staff houses during the unrest.

The headteacher, Sarah Adnan, confirmed the incident, expressing concern over the unexpected nature of the strike. She noted that the administration had not received prior complaints or grievances from the students.

“The reasons for the strike remain unclear because no issues had been formally raised with the school administration,” Adnan said.

She explained that earlier in the evening, students had requested permission to leave the school compound to fetch water from a nearby institution. However, upon their return, the situation escalated into chaos, with students reportedly throwing stones and assaulting individuals within the compound.

"The students moved outside the school to fetch water from a neighbouring primary school. Personally, I had stopped them from going out because it was already 8:00 pm, but they insisted that they wanted to go. On their return at around 10:00 pm, it was a different story," she said, adding that the chaotic students forcefully asked those who had remained in the school compound to join them and ended up beating those who refused, especially girls.

Following the incident, leaders from Lori subcounty, in collaboration with the school management, resolved to close the school indefinitely to pave way for thorough investigations.

The North West Nile Regional Police spokesperson, SP Collins Asea, also confirmed the incident, stating that police responded swiftly after being informed.

He, however, said no arrests had been made by press time.

He added that police have launched investigations to establish the cause of the strike and identify those responsible for the destruction.

Asea urged both school administrators and students to embrace dialogue and peaceful means of resolving conflicts instead of resorting to violence.

“Disagreements should be handled through proper channels of communication to avoid such destructive outcomes,” he emphasised.