The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kabale, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Students of National Teachers College -NTC Kabale have gone on strike over money they paid meant to facilitate school practice, but the administration diverted to pay utility bills and maintain the compound.
The students argue that in November 2019, each paid shillings 120,000 for facilitating school practice. They also say that Enable – The Belgian Development Agency, a non-governmental organization that aims at improving the quality of education and healthcare in Uganda also contributed shillings 80,000 for each student to help in facilitating teaching practice.
NTC Kabale has more than 1000 students, translating to 200 million shillings kept for the school practice. After paying, the schools and institutions were closed under presidential directives on Covid-19 preventive measures.
Students however say that after reporting on November 1 this year, they each demanded the shillings 200,000 to enable them to prepare for teaching practice. They however say that they were shocked to be told by the administration that there is no money since they are doing peer teaching (a method of teaching where a student instructs another student).
The situation went out of hands last night at around 9:00 PM when they refused to eat supper and turned rowdy against the administration. This forced anti-riot police from Kabale central police station to intervene.
Police officers however received a rude welcome from students who started pelting them with stones. The officers fired tear gas and live bullets in the air to chase them away. In the process, one of the students only identified as Farouk was injured and rushed to Rugarama hospital where he is currently admitted.
On Monday, students continued with the strike and rejected breakfast. Walter Birungi and Timothy Arinaitwe Kaboyo, some of the concerned students say that they were perturbed after Benjamin Turyahikayo, the NTC Principal revealed to them that there is no money because it was channeled to pay electricity, water bills, purchasing stationery, and maintenance of the college compound. They say that as students, what they want is their money and nothing else.
Other students who preferred to be quoted anonymously in order not to be victimized by the administration want Turyahikayo to explain the whereabouts of the money. They accuse Turyahikayo of being corrupt and unfair by threatening to inflict retakes to every student who demanded for their money. They say that if Turyahikayo was not ready to handle the situation, he should have not started it.
At around 11 am, Turyahikayo tried to calm down the students in vain. Students instead attempted to lynch him before he took off. When contacted, Turyahikayo said that the matter is minor and internal. He says he will address the press later.
By press time, students were still striking and anti-riot police were heavily deployed.
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Let thy will be done as per as democratic instruction is concerned