Students in Kasese abandon schools after attack on Lhubiriha SS 

Several schools in Kasese district have continued registering a low turn-up of learners following last Friday’s attack on Mpondwe-Lhubiriha secondary school. 

At least 43 people including 37 students died following a violent attack on Mpondwe-Lhubiriha secondary school suspected to have been carried out by the rebel Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) from neighbouring DRC. 

On Tuesday this week, Kasese district education officer (DEO) George Mainja ordered all learners to return to school except for those from Mpondwe-Lhubiriha secondary school, which still remains a crime scene. 

The attack threw neighbouring schools into a state of fear and panic, with some of the learners and their teachers abandoning classes altogether during the week. A mini survey conducted by URN on Wednesday showed that several learners were yet to return to school while many have since abandoned the boarding sections.
 
Muhindo Seperasi, the deputy head teacher in charge of academics at Nyabugando Baptist secondary school said that only four students in the boarding section out of the 280 have reported back. The learners in the boarding section were released to go home on Saturday and return on Monday for normal classes. 

Muhindo added that they have considered calling a school meeting for parents to mobilize them to send back their children to school. The school, which is about a kilometre from Mpondwe-Lhubiriha SS has been given two UPDF soldiers to boast its security. 

Joshua Mbusa, the head teacher of Green Valley Preparatory School, says that parents have restricted their children from getting back to school because of fear given the fact that many have ever interfaced with ADF atrocities. The school had an enrolment of 179 pupils on Friday last week, but only 130 were present on Wednesday. The head teacher said that parents informed him that they are uncertain about their children’s safety. 

Musa is worried that the present situation is likely to affect the school program and the general concentration and performance of learners. Mpondwe SDA Secondary School director of studies, Keith Katalyabundu says that there is still a sombre mood among students and the entire surrounding community. Only 57 day scholars out of 200 were present, while only 8 out of the 79 boarding students had gone back to school by Wednesday. 

But at Bwera secondary school, head teacher Yokonia Bwambale said studies resumed normally on Monday and they have had support from police to heighten the security at the school.

Josephine Natasha, a senior two student at Nyabuganda Baptist is one of those in the boarding section who has opted to commute from home. She says her parents advised her not to join boarding until they are sure of the security in the area. 

Lucky Desili, a senior three student at Mondwe SDA, says that although he woke up with fear on Saturday after receiving the news of an attack on Mpondwe Lhubiriha SS, he opted to stay in school after seeing heavy UPDF deployment around the area. Yunus Kahwa, the Mpondwe LC III vice chairperson, says that they are embarking on sensitization campaigns to encourage parents to allow their children to resume school.