Mandela SS students strike over poor quality meals

Mandela Senior Secondary School students on Thursday engaged the police in running battles as they protested the poor quality of food being served at school and poor administration.

Police swung into action after the students rampaged around 2am and shattered the glass panes in their dormitories and classrooms and demolished the perimeter wall at the school.

Some of the students who spoke to this reporter on condition of anonymity explained that they are being fed rotten beans since the term began.   

According to the students, their pleas to the top school authorities have not yielded any results, which left them with no option but to strike. 

“We cannot continue to be fed on rotten beans yet our parents are paying a lot of school fees but the school management does not want to listen to our issues,” they said.

The school principal Mr Francis Nzigu, said that the school will remain open since the situation has normalised. He said police will remain deployed at the school as the school administration continues to address concerns raised by the students.

Mr Badru Mugabi, the Hoima Resident City Commissioner said: “The students had set the school store ablaze but police fire fighters put it off. Live bullets were fired in the air to contain the situation, but no arrests and injuries were registered,” said.