Sexual harassment

Over 1000 learners at Blessed Sacrament Kimaanya in Masaka City have been indefinitely suspended for attempting to burn down school during a violent strike.

The school administration has heightened security and dismissed the learners in senior three, senior four, senior five and senior Six who participated in the strike over poor feeding and a power outage.

It is alleged that on Saturday, the school suffered a power blackout that lasted hours, disorganising the reading and learning process for learners who were preparing for forthcoming examinations.

Angered by the incident , the learners led by five ring leaders in candidate classes demanded that the  power problem be fixed to enable them study for mock examinations.

The students also complained of poor feeding at school, sexual harrasment on female learners by teachers,corporal punishment and negligence from the school administration.

The learners then threatened to burn down the boy’s Dormitory if their concerns were not adhered to, prompting them to set mattresses ablaze.

Sexual harassment

The school administration immediately reported the incident to police, who swung into action, arresting five ringleaders who had already  burned five mattresses. Five ring leaders were arrested while others were suspended indefinitely.

While dispersing the rowdy students, police were compelled to beat up the learners who sustained  injuries as police forced them out. Some of the female students who spoke on condition of anonymity claim they were fed up with teachers demanding to chew their beans.

“We are tired, some teachers want to chew us and when we refuse , they become harsh, we came to school to learn not to have sex. Our head teacher doesn’t  listen to our concerns even when we report to him,” one learner in Senior four stated.

Attempts to get a comment from the Head teacher  Allan Muwonge, remain futile as his calls go unanswered.

Rev.Fr Michael Kamulegeya, the Masaka Diocesan education secretary has condemned the actions of the learners but has also promised to investigate all issues raised by the students.
“Only senior one and senior two learners have remained at the school and we shall communicate to parents when others will report back,” he says

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