Mbale student dies after caning, teacher on the run

A teacher in Mbale District in eastern Uganda is on the run following the death of a student she allegedly caned for failing to do her assignment.
Denis Wadeba, 18, a senior three student of Nyondo Secondary School in Nyondo Sub-county, died on Monday at St. Theresa Nyondo health centre III where he had been rushed by fellow students for medical attention.
The health centre is a few metres away from the school.
The Elgon regional Police Spokesperson, Mr Robert Tukei, confirmed the death but said he was yet get more details.
“The information I have indicate that a student was beaten to death by the teacher and his body has been taken for postmortem but I am still waiting for more details,” he said.

Mr Robert Kutoti, a health worker at St. Theresa Nyondo health centre III, said Wadeba died at round 11am moments after he was admitted at the facility.
He said Wadeba had a bladder blockage and swelling on the abdomen at the time he was admitted.
“These could have be as a result of engaging in a physical fight or being beaten,” he said.
According him, the student died as medics struggled “to revive him from a coma.

It’s alleged that the teacher, Ms Annet Namono, who is currently on the run, caned the student more than five strokes on different parts of the body before he collapsed and became unconscious.”
One of the students said they first rushed him to the school clinic but the nurse referred them to a nearby health centre.
“The nurse told us that he was in a very critical condition, which she could not handle. We rushed him to the health centre, where he later died,” the student said.

Ms Florence Bweri, the school head teacher, said the deceased, was among the students, who were caned by the said teacher for not doing their homework.
“I am told the teacher had given them work but those who had not done it were being given a simple lash with small a stick,” she said.
She added, “The student died as we were looking for a vehicle to transport him to Mbale regional referral hospital,” she said.
Ms Sharon Nabugo, the sister to the deceased, said her brother left home to go to school when he was in good health.
“I cannot believe that my brother is dead. He left home when he was fine and happy,” she said.

Mr Steven Mugoma, the uncle, said government should punish the errant teacher.
“He was our only hope in the family but now he is no more. We demand that the errant teacher be punished and the family be compensated,” he said, adding that although corporal punishment was banned, it’s still going on in schools.

The acting Mbale District education officer, Ms Harriet Mwesigwa, who was found at the facility where the student died from declined to comment on the matter.
However, the district senior education officer, Mr Hannington Bakumba, said the teacher will be deregistered if found out that the student died due to her corporal punishment.
“We are aware that the student died and police is investigating. If the reports conclude that the student died due to beating, the teacher will be deregistered and punished accordingly,” he said.