By Ruth Nanyonga
Police in Kitagwenda District are holding 21 male Senior Six students of Mahyoro Secondary School over the alleged assault of their head teacher, Denis Baguma.
This followed a disagreement over preparations for the Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) examinations.
The national examinations started a fortnight ago with Uganda Certificate of Education while UACE examinations begin on Friday, November 6, 2026, with candidate briefing, followed by the written examinations are reported to begin on Monday, November 9 and run through November 26.
The incident reportedly occurred on Monday morning when the students allegedly invited Baguma to come to their class and listen to their issues . He swiftly walked to the classroom and instead students ganged up against him ,beat him up ,but he managed to escape for safety .The angry students followed him and attempted to undress him and in the process ,he lost his wallet with Shs150,000 , smartphone , driving permit and national identity card . They accused Baguma’s led- administration of failing to provide facilitators to support their revision ahead of the national examinations and of mismanaging the school.
Police responded to the school to restore calm before arresting the 21 students in connection with the alleged assault.
The incident has raised concern among local leaders, who have urged students to resolve disagreements with school authorities through established channels rather than resorting to violence.
Moses Mushabe, the Kitagwenda District councillor representing workers, condemned the alleged assault, saying students should learn to express their grievances peacefully and respect school authorities.
“Disagreements between students and school administrators should be handled through peaceful and respectful channels. Resorting to violence is not the right way to resolve grievances,” Mushabe said.
He also called on parents to take a more active role in shaping their children’s behaviour, saying discipline and respect for others should be instilled both at home and at school.
“Parents have a responsibility to guide their children and teach them good morals. Discipline and respect for others are important values that every student should uphold, both at home and in school,” he said.
Mushabe further urged students to use established school procedures to raise concerns about teaching, revision programmes and other administrative issues, warning that violence undermines the learning environment.
The incident comes as Senior Six candidates prepare for their UACE examinations, making a peaceful learning environment important for their academic progress.
By press time, authorities had not clarified the circumstances surrounding the alleged assault, the condition of the head teacher or the next course of action regarding the arrested students.
The students are being held at Mahyoro Police Station as investigations continue.