Concern as Luuka students carry machetes to school

Authorities in Luuka District are worried about students carrying machetes to classes, after which they use to cut sugarcane during lunch breaks.

The Luuka District Education Officer, Mr Francis Kamyuka, said they discovered this during a routine check of schools and are worried about the dangers associated with bringing sharp objects to school by children from different backgrounds. 

We found bags with machetes, which reportedly belonged to students, and were told that they (students) break off after lunch and use them for sugarcane cutting to make money for survival, Mr Kamyuka said on Monday.

He cited Bukanga Seed Secondary School in Bukanga sub-county as one of the schools where machetes were found in students’ bags. 

“It is crystal clear about the risks of allowing machetes in a school with people of different behaviours, because with any slight mistake, we may see bloodshed,” Mr Kamyuka added.

He, however, blamed parents for their alleged failure to monitor their children while reportedly pushing them into sugarcane-cutting as a part-time activity during school time.

Subsequently, Mr Kamyuka has directed all schools to start checking their students’ bags before they are allowed into the compounds and suggested the introduction of “special bags”, branded with the school name in small sizes, to be bought by students wishing to carry books since machetes cannot fit in them.

According to Mr Kamyuka, sugarcane cutting has greatly affected the performance in the national exams because a lot of time is wasted by the students.

“You find a student only coming to school for Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) registration and returning when exams are starting; so, you don’t expect such a person to pass,” he added.

The Luuka District LC5 chairman, Mr Simon Wakaze, said an ordinance has been passed by the council to try and eliminate the bad report by the education officer.

“I cannot refute the words of my technical person, and we have come up with ordinances to counter those issues you are hearing,” he said.

He added that under this arrangement, a student found cutting sugarcane during school time will be arrested together with their parents. This proposal now awaits approval by the Solicitor General.