School strikes: Why does the bug hit in the new school year?
Apr 08, 2007
A spiral of strikes has hit secondary schools again. Recently, at least four schools were closed over student riots. Ironically, the ugly face of strikes is raising its head the same time it appears every other year.
By Arthur Baguma
A spiral of strikes has hit secondary schools again. Recently, at least four schools were closed over student riots. Ironically, the ugly face of strikes is raising its head the same time it appears every other year.
Last year, between March and May, several secondary schools were hit by a wave of student unrests. This has raised fears that the strikes could also be related to behavioural changes of students during a particular time of the year.
Education experts suspect the strikes period which falls in the first term of the schools’ calendar, is linked to the unstable systems in schools as they start the year. Fagil Mandy an education consultant says in first term, schools lack prepared systems and mechanisms to run efficiently.
“The systems are just being tightened and there is a general feeling of laxity. That is when newly recruited teachers are trying to fit into the system. First term is an unstable term. But by second term things begin to stabilise.
The systems are in place and are more streamlined.†Mandy also cites the fact that in the first term, prefects are yet to get a grip of their duties.
“The prefects are elected at the end of third term, yet most of the councillors and prefects learn on job. They take time to settle in since no school trains prefects on leadership skills yet prefects play a great role in preventing strikes,†says Mandy.
Aggrey Kibenge, the Education Ministry spokesperson, says they shall investigate whether the causes of strikes are related to behaviour of students during a particular time of the year, or are the same causes cited in the previous investigations.
Investigations commissioned by the Ministry on the causes of strikes in secondary schools in 2005, comprehensively revealed the leading cause of strikes and recommended punitive measures, but schools still face a big challenge of strikes.
Kibenge argues that regardless of what causes strikes, it all boils down to the effectiveness of the school administration. About three weeks ago, students of Nyakasura School in Kabarole rioted over rumours that only six students who sat for last year’s O’level examinations passed in Division One.
They burnt the headmaster’s vehicle and vandalised the windows of his residence. However, it came to be established that 30 students passed in Division One and 74 in Division Two. This was a case of poor communication between the students and the school administration.
Effective channels of communication between school authorities and students still elude many schools. Humphrey Ahimbisibwe, the headmaster of Ntare School, argues that involvement of students in all the projects and programmes of the school through effective communication, can check these strikes.
“Once in a while, students will complain but once they know what is happening and why in time, this checks possible unrest and discontent which usually builds into strikes,†Ahimbisibwe says. Ahimbisibwe’s argument is supported by findings of the report commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Sports in 2005.
The report cited weaknesses on the part of school authorities as a major cause of strikes, highlighted embezzlement of school funds by administrators, poor quality food, corporal punishment, high-handedness and lack of communication between students and the administration as largely responsible for strikes.
The recommendations make it certain that students involved in strikes be held accountable for their acts. Apart from dismissal from school, the report recommends that students be made to pay in compensation of destroyed property.
However, Augustus Nuwagaba, a parent insists that the tough measures should be taken after cleaning up the poor governance in schools. “Many headteachers are dictatorial and do not involve students in decision-making,†says Nuwagaba. “Students should demonstrate or stage a sit down strike as a last resort.
They should not be involved in hooliganism and destruction of property,†says Nuwagaba. Usually the causes of strikes range from denial by school authorities to grant students a social dance or disco, which was the case for Bweranyangi Girls Senior Secondary School. Some headteachers say there is need for a more comprehensive research on the causes of strikes.
The argument is that strikes are sometimes instigated by external forces. And that even in instances where the school is operating well, any flimsy act, not necessarily out of negligence by the administration can spark off violent strikes.
Sephats Turyabahika, the headmaster of Makobore High school in Rukungiri district says strikes many times stem from very flimsy excuses, without links to the administration.
Turyabahika cites instances where a mere football match between two friendly schools can lead to a violent strike. “We need a more comprehensive research on the causes of strikes in schools and how they can be avoided.
Even when a school is well-organised, something slight triggers off a strike which in many cases turns violent and leads to destruction of school property.†The recent events are a replica of what transpired last year around the same time. In April 2006, over 400 students of St Paul’s Seminary, Kabale, were sent home after they went on a hunger strike, protesting poor meals.
This was around the same time Kabindi Senior Secondary School in Kisoro had been on strike on similar grounds. In the same region, the Police had foiled a strike by students of Kigezi College – Butobere. Justifying their cause, the students said they had been driven to the limit by the administration’s high-headedness.
Rachael Atwine in Senior Four says many times students send signals of discontent to the administration, but they are ignored. “Usually there are signs that things are not fine, but the authorities take us for granted.â€
A spiral of strikes has hit secondary schools again. Recently, at least four schools were closed over student riots. Ironically, the ugly face of strikes is raising its head the same time it appears every other year.
Last year, between March and May, several secondary schools were hit by a wave of student unrests. This has raised fears that the strikes could also be related to behavioural changes of students during a particular time of the year.
Education experts suspect the strikes period which falls in the first term of the schools’ calendar, is linked to the unstable systems in schools as they start the year. Fagil Mandy an education consultant says in first term, schools lack prepared systems and mechanisms to run efficiently.
“The systems are just being tightened and there is a general feeling of laxity. That is when newly recruited teachers are trying to fit into the system. First term is an unstable term. But by second term things begin to stabilise.
The systems are in place and are more streamlined.†Mandy also cites the fact that in the first term, prefects are yet to get a grip of their duties.
“The prefects are elected at the end of third term, yet most of the councillors and prefects learn on job. They take time to settle in since no school trains prefects on leadership skills yet prefects play a great role in preventing strikes,†says Mandy.
Aggrey Kibenge, the Education Ministry spokesperson, says they shall investigate whether the causes of strikes are related to behaviour of students during a particular time of the year, or are the same causes cited in the previous investigations.
Investigations commissioned by the Ministry on the causes of strikes in secondary schools in 2005, comprehensively revealed the leading cause of strikes and recommended punitive measures, but schools still face a big challenge of strikes.
Kibenge argues that regardless of what causes strikes, it all boils down to the effectiveness of the school administration. About three weeks ago, students of Nyakasura School in Kabarole rioted over rumours that only six students who sat for last year’s O’level examinations passed in Division One.
They burnt the headmaster’s vehicle and vandalised the windows of his residence. However, it came to be established that 30 students passed in Division One and 74 in Division Two. This was a case of poor communication between the students and the school administration.
Effective channels of communication between school authorities and students still elude many schools. Humphrey Ahimbisibwe, the headmaster of Ntare School, argues that involvement of students in all the projects and programmes of the school through effective communication, can check these strikes.
“Once in a while, students will complain but once they know what is happening and why in time, this checks possible unrest and discontent which usually builds into strikes,†Ahimbisibwe says. Ahimbisibwe’s argument is supported by findings of the report commissioned by the Ministry of Education and Sports in 2005.
The report cited weaknesses on the part of school authorities as a major cause of strikes, highlighted embezzlement of school funds by administrators, poor quality food, corporal punishment, high-handedness and lack of communication between students and the administration as largely responsible for strikes.
The recommendations make it certain that students involved in strikes be held accountable for their acts. Apart from dismissal from school, the report recommends that students be made to pay in compensation of destroyed property.
However, Augustus Nuwagaba, a parent insists that the tough measures should be taken after cleaning up the poor governance in schools. “Many headteachers are dictatorial and do not involve students in decision-making,†says Nuwagaba. “Students should demonstrate or stage a sit down strike as a last resort.
They should not be involved in hooliganism and destruction of property,†says Nuwagaba. Usually the causes of strikes range from denial by school authorities to grant students a social dance or disco, which was the case for Bweranyangi Girls Senior Secondary School. Some headteachers say there is need for a more comprehensive research on the causes of strikes.
The argument is that strikes are sometimes instigated by external forces. And that even in instances where the school is operating well, any flimsy act, not necessarily out of negligence by the administration can spark off violent strikes.
Sephats Turyabahika, the headmaster of Makobore High school in Rukungiri district says strikes many times stem from very flimsy excuses, without links to the administration.
Turyabahika cites instances where a mere football match between two friendly schools can lead to a violent strike. “We need a more comprehensive research on the causes of strikes in schools and how they can be avoided.
Even when a school is well-organised, something slight triggers off a strike which in many cases turns violent and leads to destruction of school property.†The recent events are a replica of what transpired last year around the same time. In April 2006, over 400 students of St Paul’s Seminary, Kabale, were sent home after they went on a hunger strike, protesting poor meals.
This was around the same time Kabindi Senior Secondary School in Kisoro had been on strike on similar grounds. In the same region, the Police had foiled a strike by students of Kigezi College – Butobere. Justifying their cause, the students said they had been driven to the limit by the administration’s high-headedness.
Rachael Atwine in Senior Four says many times students send signals of discontent to the administration, but they are ignored. “Usually there are signs that things are not fine, but the authorities take us for granted.â€