280 students of Ntare School sent home over strike

MBARARA. All senior three students of Ntare School have been sent home in a move to diffuse a riot that was building up at the school.
The headmaster, Mr Jimmy Turyagenda, told the press, after the students had been sent home on Monday afternoon, that the decision was taken by a joint meeting of PTA, Board of Governors and teachers.
The students are said to have smashed glass windows of the headmaster’s house and a dormitory, on Sunday night, supposedly in expression of frustration for being attacked and beaten by students of International Window School last Thursday.
According to Mr Turyagyenda, Ntare School students were attacked by those of International Window School at Kakyeka in Kamukuzi Division where various schools converged for post primary football competitions commonly known as soccer gala.
“When we were celebrating our victory and going out of the pitch, we were attacked by some other schools that were not even playing with us, notably International Window. Police was there, the matter was reported. But the students were very unhappy because they were beaten and ran after,” said Mr Turyagyenda.
The games for the following day were cancelled after district security committee realised that the schools would fight each other. Mr Turyagenda said when they communicated the decision to Ntare School students, some felt unhappy.
“The students especially senior three were angered. Today (Monday) we were supposed to have another meeting with security officials on when games will resume but some boys did not want to hear that. Last evening one class got out of their senses and broke some glass windows, and because the whole school is not involved we decided that they should go home so that they don’t spread the anger to the whole school,” said Mr Turyagyenda.
He added that they will convene a meeting this week to determine the fate of the 280 students. The Mbarara District Police Commander Jaffar Magyezi said police was deployed at the school on Sunday night to suppress the riot.
“We were here last night, we calmed the situation. We are investigating the whole issue, I don’t think they are all the senior three students, we’re investigating to know names so that they can be apprehended,” said Mr Magyezi.
In a similar and recent such incident, 260 students of Kigezi College Butobere in Kabale were sent home on March 20, after it emerged that they were planning to attack Kigezi High School to avenge the beating of their colleagues