Schools closed over strikes
Some students of Mandela Comprehensive SS leave the school after its closure on Monday. PHOTO BY FELIX WAROM OKELLO.
What you need to know:
Conspiracy. Police say the students have a platform through which they organise strikes.
ARUA.
Two schools in Arua District were on Monday closed over strike by students who accused the administration of failure to fulfil their obligations.
Ten students from both Mandela Comprehensive and Ocoko Modern Secondary schools were arrested as the prime suspects who led the strike.
According to the Police public relations officer for West Nile, Ms Josephine Angucia, the students were arrested over malicious damages and criminal trespass. They are currently being held at Arua Central Police.
The students of Mandela Comprehensive Secondary School, accused their administrators of failing to ensure supply of electricity to the school for two days.
Cause of strike
Mr Michael Draza, the deputy head teacher of Mandela Comprehensive Secondary School, blamed the strike on school fees defaulters.
“Last Friday, we sent home some students who had not completed school fees but on return, even before paying their outstanding balances, they resorted to inciting violence” Draza said.
The District Police Commander, Mr Jonathan Musinguzi, said the students got rowdy as the police tried to intervene.
“We attempted to talk to the calmly but they instead threw stones. We had to use reasonable force to disperse the chaotic crowd,” Musinguzi said.
Resolution
Preliminary police investigations indicate that students who were formerly expelled from various schools over indiscipline have formed an ssociation called Avu Dot Com. They use the platform to influence their colleagues in the schools to cause strikes. Mr Musinguzi said because of rampant strikes, police are considering all students arrested as criminals to be prosecuted in courts of law.
“We are now considering strikes as criminal offences. This will help reduce the frequent occurances in schools and public institutions,” Mr Musinguzi said.
The background
Last month, the students of Mvara Secondary School were all suspended after they went on strike and destroyed school property while 15 other students from Cornerstone secondary school in Arua were detained for holding a strike protesting transfer of one of their teachers.
