Masaka school blamed for negligence as student goes missing for two weeks

MASAKA, UGANDA: Police in Masaka city has put the administration of Blessed Sacrament Secondary School-Kimaanya on the spot after a boarding section student went missing from the school premises about a fortnight ago now.

The student identified as Samuel Tendo, 14, reportedly disappeared from the school after he was twice intercepted by both a security guard and a teacher while attempting to leave the school premises which prompted the administration to issue a warning to Tendo that he would suffer disciplinary action if he dared to jump over the school fence to play football in the neighborhood as previously done.

Mr Isaac Mukasa, a teacher who had previously intercepted Tendo at the school fence said that was the last time he saw him. “I took his photo and ordered him to go back to the dormitory and I didn’t ever see him again,” he said.

According to Tendo’s father Mr. Vincent Kakeeto, he received a phone call from the school administration on May 18 informing him about the disappearance of his son who was under their care.

“Ms Noeline Nakato, a teacher at the school informed me that my son had gone missing. At that time, I was driving from Jinja to Kampala. That call nearly caused me a crash,” Mr. Kakeeto said, adding that on arrival, he went straight to the Central Police Station in Masaka and opened a case file of a missing person.

“After reporting to the police, I went to the school and talked to Tendo’s elder brother who is in Senior Five. Tendo’s classmates told me that one of the teachers had intercepted him (Tendo) while attempting to jump over the school fence and escape,” he said as he accused the school of “partial negligence.”

However, Mr Allan Muwonge, the headteacher of the school refuted negligence claims from the student’s father and said instead, he should cooperate with the school and police to trace the missing child.
“I don’t think this is the time to blame each other. I ask the parents to be cooperative and we focus on finding the missing boy instead of making unnecessary claims,” Muwonge said

Mr Muhammad Nsubuga, the Southern Regional police spokesperson emphasized that the security forces have also joined the race to find the missing teen.
“We have hope that Tendo will be found wherever he is hiding. He could have feared to return to the school and remained with his friends. We appeal to the public to join us in the search,” he said.