Kole School Closed Over Violent Strike

Ayer Seed Senior Secondary school in Kole district has been closed indefinitely over a violent students strike.

The closure on Monday morning followed violent scenes by students on Sunday night that left several school properties vandalised.

According to Johnson Olong, the school deputy head teacher, the students went amok on Sunday night and started pelting stones on the school building smashing the windows of the administration block, the stores and two classroom blocks.

He said plans to set the school buildings on fire were, however, foiled after some students leaked the information to the administration.

Police was quickly called in and the situation calmed. Police was heavily deployed at the school until Monday morning when a meeting of the school board, teachers and the security resolved to close the school indefinitely.

At least 392 students comprising of Senior One, Two and Three were given only 30 minutes to disperse from the school. Only nine candidates of senior six who are doing their last UNEB examinations were left to complete their papers.

According to Olong, the vandalism caused at the school could cost more than 10 million shillings to repair.

The students accused the school head teacher of maladministration and poor feeding among others. One of the students who spoke to Uganda Radio Network on condition of anonymity said they had planned to hold the violent strike last weekend but they failed after they realised some ring-leaders had divided minds.

Ahmed Musana, the Kole District Police Commander, says 12 students believed to be the masterminds of the strike are in custody at Kole Central Police Station.