More than ten students from Namiryango High School, Gulama in Mukono District were taken to Mukono Police Station following allegations that they had been involved in sexual activity inside the girls’ dormitory, an incident that has raised serious concerns about discipline and student safety at the school.
The students were handed over to police by the school director and headteacher, Betty Nassali, who described the move as a firm response to repeated cases of male students accessing the girls’ section.
Nassali said the decision was intended to deter others after earlier warnings and internal measures failed to stop similar incidents.
However, the action has drawn criticism from some of the affected students, several of whom insisted they were wrongly accused.
They told this publication that, despite denying any involvement, they were still taken to police, raising questions about fairness and the methods used by the school to enforce discipline.
Nassali maintained that this was not an isolated case, noting that there have been previous incidents of boys sneaking into the girls’ dormitory.
She noted that, in this most recent scenario, one girl was allegedly found with a Senior Three male student inside the dormitory.
But the boy is said to have been an intruder who had previously been expelled from the school and managed to return with the help of current students.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, the headteacher emphasized that the students had not been formally arrested.
This was, however, contrasted by the situation at the police station, where some of the students were seen barefoot and visibly shaken, suggesting the experience may have been distressing.
She further revealed that parents had not yet been contacted at the time the students were taken to police but would be involved at a later stage, a position that is likely to spark debate among parents and education stakeholders.
The incident has exposed deeper concerns about the safety of learners at the school. The reported ease with which an expelled student gained access to the dormitory raises questions about the effectiveness of security measures.
Dormitories, especially for female students, are expected to be tightly controlled spaces, and any breach points to serious lapses in supervision and access control.
There are also concerns about the repeated nature of such incidents, which suggests that existing disciplinary systems may not be strong enough to deter misconduct.
The involvement of police in handling student behavior has further stirred debate, with some arguing that schools should prioritize internal mechanisms and parental engagement before escalating matters to law enforcement.
The situation points to a broader risk to learners, including exposure to unsafe environments, possible exploitation, and emotional distress.
It also threatens to undermine confidence among parents who entrust schools with the safety and well-being of their children.
As pressure mounts, the school is now expected to review its security arrangements and disciplinary procedures to restore order and reassure parents that the safety of learners remains a top priority.
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