Head teacher, director arrested over school fire

Masaka.

Police in Masaka District have arrested the head teacher and one of the directors of Nyendo Modern Primary School where a pupil died in fire on Tuesday night.
Police preliminary investigations indicate that the inferno was caused by an electric short circuit.

The Southern Region police spokesperson, Mr Noah Sserunjogi, said Mr Ayatu Mukasa, the head teacher and Mr Hadadi Wasswa, the director, were arrested to help them with investigations.

Mr Sserunjogi said the school administration ignored police advice to improve the wiring system in the girls dormitory.
“What occurred at that school was a time bomb waiting to happen. Police warned the proprietors about the state of the structure which the school was using as a girls’ dormitory, but they did not take heed. Wires were so exposed and we believe live current wires got in contact with neutral ones and triggered off an inferno,” Mr Sserunjogi explained.

The Tuesday night fire killed Hasimat Najjuko, 12, a Primary Two pupil and daughter of one of the school directors, Ms Ramulah Nakyeyune.

Ten-year-old Aisha Nakimera, a Primary Three pupil, sustained serious burns and was rushed to Masaka Regional Referral Hospital.

Mr Sserunjogi said the duo is likely to face charges of negligence when police investigations are completed.
Mr Stephen Kakeeto, the Masaka municipality principal education officer, told Daily Monitor yesterday that they have ordered Ms Nakyeyune to send the pupils back home until the official opening of the new term on Monday.

“We wonder why schools have always insisted on opening before official opening date. All schools that have opened before September 7 risk being closed. They should suspend lessons before we close them down,” he warned.

Mr Kakeeto further said municipality authorities have closed down the school’s boarding section until further notice.
“We cannot just sit back and watch when schools continue operating illegally. We had earlier ordered this school to close the boarding section, but they never complied,” he added.

Tororo school fire case

In March parents and children of Victory Border Point Nursery and Primary School Malaba in Tororo District were left in tears after a fire gutted one of the dormitories, leaving all pupils’ property burnt. The school head teacher said the fire was noticed after smoke covered the whole school drawing the attention of both the staff and children. It was later discovered that one of the dormitories occupied by Primary Seven pupils was on fire.