Administrators of Nyabikoni Secondary School in Kabale District have suspended 56 students following a strike over the weekend where the students were accusing the school management of maladministration.
Their complaints revolved around the actions of two teachers, Bernard Kafuba and Agricola Ngabirano, who reportedly called for an impromptu assembly and physically disciplined some senior six students for speaking the local language on school premises.
According to the protesting students, teachers used electric wires to cane them.
An anonymous student revealed that a group of them had initially reported the incident to the school's Director, Rev Fr Christopher Busingye, but received no response. Frustrated by the lack of action, they decided to stage the strike.
Their initial plan during the strike was to confront Kafuba and Ngabirano, but their efforts were thwarted by the presence of anti-riot police.
Elly Turyasiima, the school's head teacher, denied the students' claims, stating that the students' protest was actually in opposition to the school's directive regarding hair trimming and the perceived lack of leisure time provided to them.
The school board is currently conducting an investigation into the matter, and the fate of the suspended students will be determined once the investigation is concluded. As of Monday, anti-riot police were still deployed at the school, conducting patrols to maintain order.
