School building collapses, kills three pupils, director arrested

BUTALEJA, UGANDA: Police in Butaleja District have arrested the proprietor of Golden Heart Junior Nursery and Primary School in Buwesa village after the school block wall collapsed, killing three pupils and injuring several others.

The suspect identified as Bonny Owor, who is currently detained at Butaleja Central Police Station faces charges of criminal negligence according to the Bukedi South Regional Police spokesperson, Mr Moses Mugwe.

“Three children died and others who were injured are undergoing medication at Busolwe General Hospital. We have arrested the proprietor to help us in our investigations,” Mr Mugwe said.

He added; “So far two of the deceased have been identified as Innocent Maholo, who was in Primary Three and Alex Muyonjo, a primary four pupil. We are yet to identify the others but it was an unfortunate incident.”

According to preliminary investigations, it is alleged that the roof of the school building was blown off by the heavy rain on Sunday but crashed on the pupils on Tuesday morning as they tried to break it down on teachers’ directives.

Mr Mugwe advised school proprietors and administrators to always check and ensure that school premises are in good condition to avert such accidents.

“We also call upon district inspectors of schools and district education officers to always fulfill their obligations of supervision,” he said.

Mr Joshua Waisani, a resident of Buwesa village said the school has been operating in poor conditions for several years now while the authorities were watching.
“The wall of the building that collapsed was in a dilapidated state and not fit to house human beings,” he said.

Butaleja deputy Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Racheal Nkoko said some of the injured children were in critical condition before she accused the teachers and school proprietor of negligence.

“The teachers directed pupils to push the wall down and in the process, it fell on the pupils instead,” Ms Nkoko said.

She says many private schools in the district are operating in appalling conditions with no proper class structures, unqualified teachers and poor environments.