Another child found dead after choice of school row

The Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson, Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, said when the girl’s parents returned home from work on Wednesday they found her hanging on the bed.

What you need to know:

  • Moreen Nantume, a six-year-old girl, and resident of Central Zone Bweyogerere, Kira Municipality, Wakiso District, was supposed to be taken back to a school in Lugumba, Buikwe District

Another child has been found dead after she protested her parents’ decision to take her back to a village school. 
Moreen Nantume, a six-year-old girl, and resident of Central Zone Bweyogerere, Kira Municipality, Wakiso District, was supposed to be taken back to a school in Lugumba, Buikwe District. 
The Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson, Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, said when the girl’s parents returned home from work on Wednesday they found her hanging on the bed. 

“When her brother returned from school and saw her body, he called their mother. They informed the police about the incident and detectives responded. Preliminary investigations point to suicide,” Assistant Superintendent of Police Owoyesigyire said yesterday.
This is the second child to take die after disagreeing with parents on the choice of school  following the reopening of a new term this week. 

Related incident
On Monday, a Senior Four student of Makerere College School allegedly committed suicide after his parent got him a place in another school he didnot like. 
Emmanuel Okello, 18, waited when his father had taken his siblings to school and hanged himself in their home compound at Parliament village-Kitukutwe in Kira Municipality on Monday. 
Government in March 2020 closed all schools countrywide following a surge in Covid-19 infections and hospitalisations. However, the institutions of learning were reopened on Monday.

Mr Owoyesigyire said the lockdown has definitely affected the school going children and advised parents and teachers to reach out to the police when they register cases of depression among the children. 
He said parents shouldn’t dictate on where the children should go for studies, but instead sit them down and make them to understand and appreciate why they are making the decisions.

Mr Owoyesigyire also advised parents facing such challenges to engage the police child and family protection unit for guidance.
 A number of parents countrywide  are facing financial challenges caused by the closure of businesses during the Covid-19 induced lockdown  and some have been forced to look for schools whose fees are affordable.
 
Advice
At the weekend, the State Minister for Industry, Mr  David Bahati, urged parents and teachers to counsel children as they return to school after undergoing a lot of emotional challenges during the lockdown.
Several reports from local authorities in various parts of the country indicate that a number of school-going girlS got pregnant while other learners joined money making ventures and wished not to return to school.