Two Nakasongola Army school teachers arrested over assaulting S.1 student

Two teachers of Nakasongola Army secondary school have been arrested for allegedly assaulting a senior one student until he became immobilised. 

Cpl Jackson Bitaryebwa and Pte Enoth Tindimwebwa who are both attached to Nakasongola army barracks are accused of assaulting Andrew Kasita. He’s currently receiving treatment at Bombo Military hospital after the parent petitioned the office of the resident district commissioner on Thursday.

Godfrey Lutalo, the LC III chairperson of Nakitoma sub-county and parent to the student explains that the teachers picked up his son on Tuesday and whipped him several times. This is after a fellow student accused him of being among those who were stealing students’ books and selling them to chapatti dealers to package their snacks. 

Kasita denied the allegations but the teachers continuously beat him in a bid to force him to confess until he became unconscious. Lutalo says that he met the headteacher and accused teacher on Wednesday who apologized but refused to release the student from the dormitory for treatment.

“The student was released on Thursday night after the intervention of RDC and transferred to Bombo Military hospital for medical check-ups as well as treatment. My son is in bad shape, unable to walk or sit because of the severe injuries,” said Lutalo. 

Cpt Favourite Rugumayo the spokesperson of Nakasongola army barracks says that the force doesn’t support corporal punishments and as a result, the two teachers have been detained to explain what happened to the student.

Rugumayo adds that the two will face the disciplinary court if the investigations pin them of administering corporal punishment on the student.

Samuel Mbangire, Nakasongola district inspector of schools says that the district education department has asked the board of governors of the school and the barracks to provide a report by Tuesday about what happened and action taken against the teachers using their own disciplinary mechanism.

It’s reported that this was not the first incident, several learners have complained of corporal punishments at the army school. Cases of corporal punishment are still prevalent in several schools despite its abolition in Uganda in 2016 after the insertion of a new article, 106A, into the Children Act.

The article stipulates that a person of authority in an institution of learning must not subject a child to any form of corporal punishment. On Tuesday this week, a biology teacher identified only as Anthony of Premier secondary school in Hoima city allegedly assaulted a senior four student into a coma. 

The victim, Brenda Matsika, was hospitalized at EDPA medical centre in Hoima city. According to reports, the teacher accused Matsika of failing to achieve a passing grade in a biology examination administered to the senior four class. 

It is alleged that the teacher repeatedly whipped the student until she became unconscious.