800 students of Lango College suspended over violent strike
LIRA– Students of Lango College in Lira City West division in Lira City have been sent home for one week after they held a violent strike which resulted in massive destruction of school properties and six cars including a school lorry.
About 800 students were ordered to leave the school by the Board of Governors chaired by Naputal Oyuru in a meeting held on Saturday. The students affected include senior one, two, three and five respectively.
Senior four and six students were pardoned by the administration because they are about to do mock examinations, school authorities said.
The students, according to police, engaged in the strike on Friday after Emma Obim who had earlier been expelled from the school because of indiscipline was sighted within the school’s premises, prompting the teacher on duty to arrest him.
The North Kioga regional police spokesperson, Jimmy Patrick Okema, said Obim was apprehended and handed over to the police at Lira City West division for criminal trespass.
This forced other students to strike, even going ahead to demand that they are sent home, yet they are due to start end of term II examinations,” Okema said.
“Hence they caused destructions, broke into school canteen, looted items and damaged the screen of six motor vehicles,” he added.
The motor vehicles according to the school`s headteacher Sammy Bob Okino include UAW 813U, UAQ 823A Nadia, UG 158E school lorry, UAJ 488M, UAX 297G, motorcycle UDV 191V, and window of the school dining hall.
In January 2016 a total of 62 students of Lango College were arrested in the aftermath and two teachers were summoned to record statements at Lira Central Police Station after engaging in a violent strike.
The students reportedly vandalized teachers’ vehicles, including the school bus, and destroyed the head teacher’s apartment.
They claimed the protest sought to gain reliable food supplies and adequate schooling infrastructure.
Okema described the incident as unfortunate and it is a sign the students are lazy and not willing to learn.
https://thecooperator.news/masaka-school-temporarily-closed-over-students-strike/
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country- wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
