Sebei College suspends all S.4 students over strike
Parents of the suspended S.4 students of Sebei College, Tegeres in Kapchorwa in a meeting at the school hall on Friday. Photo | Yahudu Kitunzi
What you need to know:
- The strike occurred on Thursday evening, after the school administration changed the food serving program, angering the students.
Sebei College in Tegeres, Kapchorwa District, has suspended all 264 Senior Four students after a violent strike resulted in the destruction of school properties worth millions of shillings.
The strike occurred on Thursday evening, July 4, 2024, after the school administration changed the food serving program, angering the students.
According to the students, who requested anonymity, the senior four class is usually served food first, but on that day, other classes were prioritised, leading to the strike.
The school administration confirms that the students were told to come last, which sparked the violence.
In a suspension letter signed by the head teacher, Mr Johnson Limo, the students are accused of destroying school buildings, windows, and CCTV cameras. The extent of the damage is still being assessed.
“I regret to inform you that a violent act led by all S.4 learners occurred on Thursday between 6:50pm-8pm leading to serious destruction of school buildings. The extent of the damage by the district engineer is being assessed and will be availed later,” the suspension letter dated July 5, reads in part.
It adds: “Accordingly, all S.4 learners have been suspended indefinitely with immediate effect following a decision reached at by an emergency meeting between all members of Board of Governors, Parents Teachers Association (PTA), management and district security committee headed by the office of the RDC Kapchorwa.”
The Deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC) of Kapchorwa, Mr Martin Sakajja, confirmed that the students were angered by the change in the food serving program and became undisciplined, leading to their suspension.
Preliminary investigations suggest that some teachers may have been involved in the strike.
The police were called in to restore order and eject the students from the school premises. The suspects were arrested and detained at Kapchorwa Central police station but were released on police bond on Saturday evening.
A staff assessing the damages at Sebei College Tegeres in Kapchorwa District after a strike.
The school administration, parents, and district security committee have resolved to allow police to carry out investigations, and the suspended students are expected to report back on July 14, 2024. Each parent has agreed to pay Shs100,000 towards the damages.
This is the second strike at the same school in less than two years, with the previous strike occurring in October 2023 over a failed promise to show an English Premier League match.
Ms Justin Chebet, a retired teacher, expressed disappointment in the students' misconduct, especially at a time when they should be focused on their studies.
Sebei College, Tegeres, has a rich history, dating back to 1956, and has been a beacon of hope for marginalised children in Sebei and surrounding areas.
