Mbale teacher slaps student, ruptures her eardrum

MBALE: Police in Elgon region in eastern Uganda have started investigating the director of a private school in Manafwa District for reportedly slapping one of his students and rupturing her eardrum.

It’s alleged that Mr George William Nalela, the director of Destiny High School-Kaato in Kaato Sub-County slapped a one Teddy Nabaana, 17, a senior three student under unclear circumstances and ruptured her eardrum on March16, 2019.

The Elgon region Police Spokesperson, Mr Tukei Robert told Daily Monitor on Tuesday that the case was reported by the parents of the victim and they have started investigations.

“We are investigating the matter to find out what exactly happened to a student,” Mr Tukei said.
Police say preliminary investigations indicate that the girl was assaulted.

“But the case file is still with officer in-charge Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Directorate (CIID), who is still investigating the case further to ascertain what happened,” Mr Tukei said.

Dr Fred Bisso, an ear, nose and throat surgeon, who examined the student confirmed that her left eardrum had ruptured.
The police surgeon, Dr Bernabas Rubanza, also said his examination indicated that the student was slapped three times on the left ear.
“Now the victim is unable to hear after the incident because her left ear was ruptured,” the medical report signed by Dr Rubanza reads in part.

The victim is currently admitted at Waguna Clinic in Mbale town, where she is undergoing treatment.

Her father, Mr David Muwoya Wekhoola, a resident of Bubisikwa east village, Buwali Sub County in Bududa District, said his daughter on the fateful day told him that she was slapped three times.

“My daughter currently can’t hear and we are worried. We request police and other authorities to intervene in this matter and bring the culprit to book,” Mr Wekhoola, who is also the Bududa District inspector of schools, said, adding that three medical doctors have confirmed that the victim’s eardrum had ruptured.

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The victim said, “I was slapped three times by the director without any reason. After slapping and assaulting me, I started bleeding in my left ear. He then directed the school head teacher to suspend me.”
The suspension letter dated March 16, 2019 signed by the school head teacher, Ms Annet Namirembe, which Daily Monitor has seen, indicate that the student was suspended for speaking vernacular at school.

“Vernacular speaking tantamount to sectarianism in a multi-language society and is highly punishable by two weeks suspension,” the suspension letter reads in part.

Mr Nalela, who is also the deputy head teacher of Bugobero High School, when contacted dismissed the allegations but acknowledged that a certain teacher at the school, whom he didn’t name, caned the victim with three strokes over indiscipline.
“The teacher caned her for being disrespectful and going out of the school premises without permission. It is not allowed for our student to move out of school,” Mr Nalela.

Authorities say cases of corporal punishment are on the increase in schools in Bugisu sub-region. Last month, a student of Nyondo Secondary school in Mbale District died after he was allegedly caned by teacher for failing to do her assignment.

At the same school, a 19-year-old-student, Doreen Akosi collapsed in the classroom and died under unclear circumstances.