Itendero SS strike leaves student dead
Mar 17, 2009
ONE student was killed on Friday when students of Itendero Secondary School in Kabwohe/Itendero town council, Bushenyi district went on strike.
By Chris Ahimbisibwe
ONE student was killed on Friday when students of Itendero Secondary School in Kabwohe/Itendero town council, Bushenyi district went on strike.
The strike started when a group of boys broke into the girls’ dormitory.
The district Police commander, Jimmy Oyuku, identified the dead student as Tuhairwe Arnold, 16. He was allegedly beaten to death by fellow students.
Some girls sought refuge at Itendero Police post before the Police calmed the situation down.
Tuhairwe’s body was on Saturday morning found in the bush, two kilometres away from the school. It was taken to Kabwohe Health Centre IV mortuary.
The students said they went on strike because the school administration starved them, dormitories were congested and there was poor communication with teachers.
Later, while inspecting the dormitories, the education officer, Norman Lukum, said he was shocked by the conditions of the dormitories.
In the dormitories, there were triple-decker beds, each accommodating six students. There was no space for their belongings.
Lukum told the administrators to address students’ grievances in three days, or close the school.
He said the education ministry had banned triple-decker beds. “It is bad to have students you can not accommodate,†Lukum said.
“Congestion and forcing students to sleep together teaches them bad manners.â€
Addressing the students, Lukum said: “Students who take the law in their hands must be prosecuted.â€
He said student leaders should have reported the problems to the concerned authorities.
Five S.4 students, suspected to be the ring-leaders, were arrested. They are Ambrose Namanya, Ambrose Mweteise, Benson Tumwesigye, Obed Kamukama and Ezra Katibu.
ONE student was killed on Friday when students of Itendero Secondary School in Kabwohe/Itendero town council, Bushenyi district went on strike.
The strike started when a group of boys broke into the girls’ dormitory.
The district Police commander, Jimmy Oyuku, identified the dead student as Tuhairwe Arnold, 16. He was allegedly beaten to death by fellow students.
Some girls sought refuge at Itendero Police post before the Police calmed the situation down.
Tuhairwe’s body was on Saturday morning found in the bush, two kilometres away from the school. It was taken to Kabwohe Health Centre IV mortuary.
The students said they went on strike because the school administration starved them, dormitories were congested and there was poor communication with teachers.
Later, while inspecting the dormitories, the education officer, Norman Lukum, said he was shocked by the conditions of the dormitories.
In the dormitories, there were triple-decker beds, each accommodating six students. There was no space for their belongings.
Lukum told the administrators to address students’ grievances in three days, or close the school.
He said the education ministry had banned triple-decker beds. “It is bad to have students you can not accommodate,†Lukum said.
“Congestion and forcing students to sleep together teaches them bad manners.â€
Addressing the students, Lukum said: “Students who take the law in their hands must be prosecuted.â€
He said student leaders should have reported the problems to the concerned authorities.
Five S.4 students, suspected to be the ring-leaders, were arrested. They are Ambrose Namanya, Ambrose Mweteise, Benson Tumwesigye, Obed Kamukama and Ezra Katibu.