Rakai school prepares for new term after deadly fire
Inspection. Mr Frank Jjuuko (left), an engineer from Bannabuddu Royal Construction Company, inspects the destroyed dormitory on Monday. PHOTO BY IVAN KIMBOWA
What you need to know:
- It is among the three schools in Masaka Sub-region that suffered fire incidents last year. On June 2, fire gutted a dormitory at Bishop Ddungu Primary School in Lwengo District and pupils’ property worth millions was destroyed to ashes.
- In March, fire gutted a dormitory at Greenhill Primary School in Kifuuta Village, Kitanda Sub-county in Bukomansimbi District, destroying pupils’ property also worth millions.
As schools prepare to re-open for first term, the administration of St Bernard’s Secondary School, Mannya in Rakai District, which suffered a devastating fire that left 11 students dead last year, has embarked on reconstructing the destroyed dormitory.
The fire, which destroyed a Senior Three boys’ dormitory on November 11, also left 49 students with varying injuries.
Mr Henry Nsubuga, the school head teacher, says they are racing against time to renovate the building before the new school term opens. Schools will officially re-open on February 4.
“We are giving the damaged dormitory a facelift and I am sure it will be looking magnificent by the time our students report for first term,” he said during an interview on Tuesday.
He said fire extinguishers, smoke detectors and CCTV cameras will be installed at all dormitories and other buildings at the school to boost security.
“We have already placed an order for 70 closed-circuit television cameras (CCTVs) to increase on the entire surveillance of the entire place. We already have five policemen and 10 reserve force officers who are working in shifts,” he said.
Mr Frank Jjuuko from Bannabuddu Royal Construction Company, a firm contracted to carry out the repairs, said they have all the necessary building materials on site and that they are optimistic the work will be completed on time.
“Construction works will involve removing burglar proof from all dormitories and converting triple-decker beds into double-decker beds,” he said.
Ms Rose Nalubowa, one of the school board members, said: “In addition to other support, Cotton on Foundation of Austria have been sponsoring about 500 students at the school and we expect the number to go up this year,” she said.
Students in candidate classes are expected to report on January 27 while continuing students will report on February 4.
“Our students will first undergo a number of counselling sessions conducted by professionals and we hope this will enable them overcome the trauma and psycho-social challenges they have gone through in the past two months,” Ms Nalubowa said.
Preliminary reports say unknown people sneaked into the school premises under the cover of darkness, locked the dormitory from outside with two padlocks, sprinkled petrol inside before setting the dormitory alight. In the aftermath, more than 10 suspects were arrested and after screening, some were released on police bond. But four students and two security guards were later arraigned in court and charged with 51 counts of murder, attempted murder, arson, and malicious damage to property, whereas the two security guards were charged with neglect of duty.
The suspects are currently on remand at Masaka Central Prison until February 15 when hearing of their case will commence. The school, which is founded by the Catholic Church, has a population of more than 1,000 students and is among the best performing schools in Rakai District.
