Drama as parents lock head teacher out of office

Rwentuha Primary School in Rwentuha Town Council, Bushenyi District where the parents closed the head teacher’s office on allegations of misappropriation of funds. PHOTO/MILTON BANDIHO

What you need to know:

  •  Parents also accuse the head teacher of refusing to submit the names of the management committee to the district education department for approval.

Parents of Rwentuha Primary School in Rwentuha Town Council, Bushenyi District last Friday closed the office of head teacher on allegations of misappropriation of funds.

The school, which is five meters off Mbarara-Bushenyi highway,  was preparing 63 pupils to sit their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) tomorrow but were left in a dilemma after parents chased the head teacher and locked his office with three padlocks.

The chairperson for Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Mr Sam Sabiti, said the school has enrolment of 630 Pupils but since 2019, the head teacher has never made accountability.

“Last year we had 700 pupils because of poor leadership at the school. The enrollment has since reduced and now we have 630 pupils and every child pays shs40,000. We have never seen the expenditures of the school,” he said.

Parents also accuse the head teacher of refusing to submit the names of the management committee to the district education department for approval.

“The head teacher has rejected our repeated requests to convene a PTA meeting to account for the money pupils’ pay to the school,” Mr Sabiti added.

Mr Sabiti claimed that the mismanagement of PTA funds largely contributed to the poor performance of the school in recent years.

“We are in touch with the school deputy head teacher and director of studies to ensure that our children do their final examinations but we want the district education officer to take him (head teacher) away because as stakeholders, we don’t want him here,” Mr  Sabiti said. 

Mr Haruna Turyakiira, the accused head teacher, said the allegations against him are baseless since the chairperson of PTA was sworn into office two weeks ago.

“How did he know that I swindled money yet he was sworn in just two weeks ago? The chairperson of PTA is witch-hunting me. This is just politics,’’ he said.  The deputy head teacher, Ms Loyce Komujuni, said the school is operating normally and that they are preparing for pupils briefing on Monday (today) before examinations kickoff on Tuesday (tomorrow).

 “We are operating normally; the conflicts between the foundation body and management are not affecting us. Let them sit and iron out their issues,” she said.

Mr Saul Rwampororo, the Bushenyi District Education Officer, said parents’ claims should be backed with an audit report before closing the office.

“Closing a government office is a crime. Parents should have reported the matter to the authorities to handle. We do not need to entertain barbaric behaviors in the society because parents never followed the right procedures,” he said.

Police intervention 

The district Police Commander Mr John Bosco Sserunjogi said parents who closed the head teacher’s office will be arrested for taking law in their hands. 

“Their act is criminal, the suspects should be charged with criminal trespass with intention to commit a felony,” he said.