A biology teacher at Premier Secondary School in Hoima City is in trouble for assaulting a senior four student, Brenda Matsika, into a coma.
Matsika is currently receiving treatment at EDPA Medical Center in Hoima City. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon when the teacher accused Matsika of failing to pass a biology examination.
According to reports, the teacher whipped the student repeatedly, leading to her collapse. Matsika's father, Richard Maate, rushed to the school, but the administration refused to show him his daughter, who remains in critical condition.
Moses Mugisa, the Resident Director at the school, apologized for the incident and promised to investigate the matter. The school has agreed to cover all medical expenses for Matsika.
The matter had not yet been reported to the police as of press time, according to Albertine Region Police spokesperson, Julius Hakiza. This is the second time in a month that teachers at Premier Secondary School have been accused of assaulting students.
In March, a senior two-student named Joan Nyangoma was allegedly assaulted by a teacher named Justus Mukiibi during an entrepreneurship examination. Nyangoma claimed that Mukiibi slapped her several times and locked her in an office, where he continued to assault her.
She was taken to Jobita Medical Centre in Hoima City, where she was found to have been assaulted on her back, both hands, and chest. These incidents raise concerns about the use of corporal punishment in schools, which was abolished in Uganda in 2016 under Article 106A of the Children Act.