KITAGWENDA, District — Kitagwenda High School in western Uganda has introduced tougher disciplinary measures, including expulsion for students caught with mobile phones, taking alcohol, gambling, or escaping from school, following a violent strike that left school property worth millions of shillings damaged or stolen.
The measures were agreed upon by the school administration and parents at a Parents Teachers Association (PTA) meeting on August 13, days after students went on strike and vandalised buildings, dormitories and other school facilities.
The August 6 incident began at about 11pm when a group of students allegedly attacked fellow students in several dormitories and forced some of them to join the protest, according to head teacher Simon Ahimbisibwe.
The group then allegedly smashed windows and broke into the head teacher’s office, where they took mobile phones that had previously been confiscated from students. A television set, computers, clothes and other items were also reported stolen.
The students also allegedly broke into the school canteen and laboratory and damaged the main hall and dormitories.
Ahimbisibwe told the PTA meeting that about 25 students were involved in the incident.
He said some students also went to the school farm, where three goats were allegedly stolen and slaughtered, while some girls were taken from their dormitories to help prepare food for the group in the night.
Many students, including girls, fled into nearby bushes or sought refuge in neighbouring communities as the unrest continued until the next morning.
Police were called to the school and managed to restore order. Some students were arrested the following morning, while others remained at large, according to the head teacher.
Ahimbisibwe said preliminary investigations indicated that many of those allegedly involved had their phones confiscated on August 5. Four others had also just returned from suspension after being found playing cards in a dormitory at night.
He said most of the students implicated were in Senior Five and Senior Six.
“Investigations showed that these students had planned everything and even had boda bodas near the school ready to take some of the stolen items,” Ahimbisibwe told the meeting.
The head teacher said the school board decided to send all students home on August 7, several days before the scheduled end of term, following the incident.
According to Ahimbisibwe, students cited several grievances, including the confiscation of mobile phones, and tighter roll calls.
Some students also complained about being woken early to attend morning reading sessions.
The head teacher said those complaints did not justify the destruction and theft that followed.
He also rejected suggestions that indiscipline was widespread at the school, saying a relatively small group had damaged the institution’s reputation.
“Most of our learners’ discipline is good,” he said. “However, of recent, we got infiltrated by boys who are hard-core criminals and they have led us into untold episodes of indiscipline.”
He said the school was dealing with cases involving escaping from school, alcohol and drug abuse and theft.
Parents back tougher measures
Parents agreed to strengthen disciplinary measures and security at the school.
Under the new resolutions, students caught with mobile phones, taking alcohol, gambling or playing cards in dormitories, or escaping from school will face immediate expulsion.
Parents also agreed that students should wear school uniform during all school activities, including church services.
The meeting further called for the deployment of full-time armed security guards and construction of a perimeter wall around the school.
PTA chairman Innocent Gacuba said stronger measures were necessary to protect students and the reputation of the institution.
“We don’t want to lose any other student like what happened to Onesmus Alinda. We were so hurt. We don’t want to see what happened recently,” he said.
He also criticised what he described as excessive leniency towards students who breached school rules.
“The rules of this school are very clear, but the head teacher was acting like a parent and was very lenient to these students. But these are the results. No more leniency to any student caught breaching school rules,” Gacuba said.
The latest incident comes about two months after unrest linked to the death of a Senior Four student, Onesmus Alinda, whose body was found in a neighbouring coffee plantation.
The circumstances surrounding his death sparked anger among students, who subsequently damaged property in nearby homes and plantations.
The school administration said the latest incident had highlighted the need for stronger security and closer cooperation between parents, the school and the surrounding community.
Parents also resolved to establish a chaplaincy office to provide counselling and guidance to students.
Pafula Byaruhanga, one of the parents, urged families to take greater responsibility for guiding their children.
“This whole problem starts from our homes. As parents, we must play our role to guide our children. If we fail in our parental role, the school can’t do it for us,” he said. Following the strike disruptions, the meeting agreed that all candidates classes senior four and six will report on August 31, 2026 to do some final touches and do the remaining part of mock.
Other classes will report on September 7, 2026 instead of for their beginning of term exams.
Kitagwenda High School is a government-aided Catholic-founded school established in 1980. It has 678 students, including 488 boarders and 190 day scholars, according to school officials.
