Police in Luwero have arrested two staff members of New Life Secondary School after a Senior Four student died following an alleged beating by a teacher.
The deceased has been identified as Nicholas Nakibinge. He reportedly fell into a coma after the incident on Tuesday and was later rushed to Luwero Hospital.
Medical personnel at the hospital attributed his death to internal bleeding.
Police Arrest Two Staff Members
Savannah Regional Police spokesperson Samuel Twineamazima said the arrested staff are Keny Mubiru, the school warden, and Margaret Akisa, a teacher at the school.
Police were, by press time, still searching for another teacher, Abraham Mukalazi. He is accused of beating the student before fleeing the school.
A sombre mood covered the school as police officers arrived to investigate the incident.
By the time New Vision visited the school at around midday on Wednesday, police had cordoned off one classroom as a scene of crime.
Teachers and Students Stay Away
Top school administrators, including the headteacher, were reportedly hiding.
The few teachers and non-teaching staff who were present declined to speak to journalists.
The Senior Four classroom was empty, as students reportedly stayed away due to shock over Nakibinge’s death.
Paul Mukungu, one of the school directors, said the victim had been caned. He also said Nakibinge was already in poor health when the teacher caned him.
Corporal Punishment Is Banned
Nakibinge’s death comes at a time when the Government has outlawed caning and other forms of corporal punishment in schools.
The Children (Amendment) Act, 2016 prohibits any person in authority at a learning institution from subjecting a child to corporal punishment.
A person convicted of subjecting a child to corporal punishment faces up to three years in prison, a fine of up to sh2m, or both.
Despite the ban, corporal punishment has continued in some schools.
Similar Case Reported in Kisoro
In March 2023, 11-year-old Dan Gasore died after allegedly being severely beaten by his teacher at Mutolere Primary School in Kisoro district.
The teacher reportedly assaulted the child on the head and back after he failed to understand classwork.
Gasore’s condition later worsened, and he died after suffering severe bleeding.
Classmate Gives Account
A classmate of Nakibinge, who asked not to be named, said the deceased had spent the previous week in hospital over an undisclosed illness.
The student said Nakibinge collapsed after being caned and developed foam in his mouth.
The school authorities then rushed him to Luwero Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.