P3 pupil dies after being assaulted by teacher in Kisoro

Police in Southwestern Uganda have intensified efforts to arrest a teacher who went on the run after assaulting an 11-year-old pupil who died shortly after the incident.

On Tuesday, police identified the deceased as primary three (P3) child Dan Gasore while the man on the run is a one Pascal Hakizimana, a teacher at Mutorole Primary School in Kisoro District.

“It is alleged that on March 9, 2023 at Mutorole Primary School at around 4pm, Gasore was assaulted by his teacher on the head and back for not understanding what was being taught to him,” police spokesman for the Kigezi region Elly Maate told this publication.

According to police, the victim went back home crying and was taken to the clinic for treatment.

“And on March 11, 2023 at around 5pm, the situation worsened as Gasore was bleeding from the nose before he was rushed to Kisoro Hospital where he died a few minutes upon arrival,” Mr Maate explained.

Mr Maate said if caught, the accused teacher will be faced with a murder case under file CRB 178/2023 at Kisoro Police station.

“The body of the deceased was handed over to the relatives for burial after the postmortem was done,” police noted.

The Kisoro Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Shafiq Ssekandi warned teachers in the country against corporal punishments because it’s against the law.

“Teachers are advised to use other means of disciplining pupils but not administering corporal punishments. The government shall always arrest and prosecute any teacher that administers corporal punishment in schools because such acts are against the laws of Uganda,” Hajji Ssekandi said.

“Whoever administers corporal punishments shall be individually held responsible,” he warned.

Corporal punishments were outlawed by the Supreme Court in 1999 and are prohibited in article 94 of the Children Act.