Students of Adumi secondary school in Arua district have reported back to school after they were sent home over a week ago following a violent strike.
The decision to reopen the school was reached at in an emergency meeting held on Saturday, involving parents, school administrators, members of the school board and officials from Arua district education department. Students started reporting to school on Wednesday afternoon.
As part of the conditions, all the students in the boarding section will have to part with 30,000 shillings each to repair some of the school properties destroyed during the strike last week.
On June 13th, Adumi secondary school students went on strike destroying their classroom windows, school kitchen, and property in the staff quarters worth over 10 million shillings. At least 17 of the students were arrested after strike and the rest sent home.
Dante Adrabo, the acting head teacher of the school, says after the re-admission, students who were arrested by the police will be compelled to face a tough disciplinary action that will range from suspension to dismissal. This, Adrabo says, is to instill discipline amongst the students and the administration.
But he dismissed reports from students that the school administration was not minding about students’ welfare, one of the reasons for the strike. Students had missed porridge before going on strike.
Nicholas Tembo, the Arua district education officer, says the school has been allowed to open after the parents and school administration accepted to share the cost of damage caused by the strike. He says the case of negligence against the school administration and malicious damage to property against 17 students still remains.
Meanwhile administrators, teachers and parents of students at St. Joseph’s college Ombaci have resolved to re-open the school on June 25th. Andrew Tumwesigye, the acting head teacher, says each student in candidate classes will be admitted after paying 20,000 shillings while those in other classes will pay 10,000 shillings, arguing that it was candidates who were behind the strike.
Before the school was closed following a strike two weeks ago, the students had wanted to drag Tumwesigye to the district education officer accusing him of tribalism, corruption and mismanagement of school resources.
