By,KATONGOLE ARNOLD
“When the bell for break rang around 10:30am, we were surprised to see the whole school run at around 10:40am and what was on their mouth was that the school had been attacked and the head teacher has been killed and two students slaughtered. Containing the situation was not easy so we had to let pupils first move off station and about 1000 parents flocked the school in no time to rescue the remaining learners.”
Comments of Tusiime Samuel a teacher at Byabakoora Primary school.
The atmosphere was chaotic and tense as speculations of a supposed rebel attack circulated schools in kyaka II refugee settlement in kyegegwa district. The speculation in the schools of Byabakoora Primary school , Bukere Secondary school, Kanon wisdom Primary school and Bukono Primary school followed an allegation that rebels had attacked Byabakoora Primary school and killed the headmaster and slaughtered two learners
The rumors come to kyegegwa at a time when the country is finding courage to walk from the ADF rebel attack that happened at Lhubiriha secondary school which is only 179km away. This attack claimed more than 44 lives. The rumors have seen these four schools break off as the parents wait for a stakeholders meeting on the matter of their children’s safety.
Ernest Kaija a parent to one of the learners in Byabakoora Primary school says that the kids on hearing that the school had been attacked the students decided to abort school and its why they all came through to pick their children.
“The parents have vowed not to return their children to school until they hear the official position of the leaders. We don’t sleep in the night we only sleep in the morning at 8:00am, we ensure that no one is moving in hours of the night.” Richard Byarugaba LC1 chairperson commented on the issue.
The District Education Officer of Kyegegwa Husein Mwesigye affirmed that the speculation caused tension and panic in the area, he adds that together with security and Office of the Prime Minister they have decided to let all the four schools break off and tomorrow they are going to conduct meetings in these schools and brief the parents on the situation and then schools will resume. We don’t want parents to make conclusions depending on the speculation to refuse their children to go to school Hussein further commented.
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“We have enough intelligence to help us in security, let parents not get worried the learners are safe and we have not had any attacks here in kyegegwa. We are alert and let the learners get back to school.” Monica Karungi Resident District Commissioner (RDC) commented. The task ahead for leaders is to find a common ground with parents to allow their children return to school in the short-term possible.
