Kings modern College in Yumbe was a scene of running battles between students and police last evening following a riot at the school. The students rampaged last evening setting the school library and teachers house a blaze. As a result police rushed to the school and fired rubber bullets and teargas to disperse the rowdy students who were attempting to set their classes on fire.
Trouble started after the school administration asked the students who enrolled under the Universal Secondary Education program to pay shillings 10,000. It is alleged that when the student leaders tasked the school management to explain the reason for the money but there was not response given to them.
Before rioting, the students complained of lack of teachers, misappropriation of the shillings 700,000, and discrimination between boys and girls. They accused the school administration led by Hilary Nsubuga Candia, the head teacher for feeding girl on a special diet, while the boys are left to eat expired posho. However, Nsubuga blames the students for behaving unruly saying they asked the students to contribute shillings 10,000 to enable the school operate because government has not released any money since they opened for the second term.
He says currently government owes the school over 19 million shillings saying that if the money is not released immediately activities at the school will grind to a halt. Maxwell Ogwal, Yumbe district police commander says that clam has been restored at the school. He says that police has not yet arrested any suspects but they are doing everything possible to identify the ringleaders of the strike. King Modern College Yumbe is the second school in West Nile to strike, within this week. Otumbari secondary school was closed early on Monday following a violent strike.
