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Soroti, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Ministry of Education and Sports has deregistered Jozan Nursery and Primary School in Soroti City.
The move by the Ministry follows the death of Joan Faith Apio, who was found dead in the staff latrine of the school. Eight suspects were arrested and remanded in connection to the death of the pupil. They include the matron, two directors of Jozan, Joseph Okedi and Suzan Vivian Ariokot Okedi, as well as the headteacher James Edoket, police officer John Bosco Obotol, school cook Valentine Opio, and two juveniles from the school who were remanded at a juvenile facility.
Francis Atima, from the Directorate of Education Standards at the Ministry of Education and Sports, visited the school on Friday and met the city leaders, where a consensus was reached that the school should be closed and dergeitsred.
“Upon visiting, I found the school in a deplorable state, and we cannot allow it to remain open,” she added. Although the school technically exists on paper, withdrawal certificates have not yet been issued, and we have begun processing those. “From today, I will write to my Permanent Secretary Ministry of Education requesting that all registration certificates be withdrawn and that the school be deregistered,” Atima added.
Atima further noted that the school has been illegally operating a boarding section, yet it was registered as a mixed day school.
On Thursday, 14 people were arrested for looting and setting ablaze a section of the school. The enraged residents were protesting the decision by the court to allow the suspects to appear via Zoom for the mention of their murder case.
According to the police, significant destruction occurred during the protest, including the burning of the school canteen and a food store. There was also theft of school chairs and tables, mattresses, televisions and fridges, doors, and other items.
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