Gulu Central High School in Gulu City has reopened for studies and other academic activities following its closure for three weeks. Management closed the school for three weeks following a violent students strike, in which security officers shot dead a student and brutalised several others.
The students rampaged after the school administration stopped the broadcast of a live English premier league match between Manchester City and Manchester United played at Etihad Stadium. The school headteacher, Jimmy Owani, says that the school reopened its gate to the learners on Sunday morning under strict measures.
He says that the learners, their parents and guardians have signed a commitment form to adhere to the school rules and regulations and exhibit maximum discipline.
He says that the learners are reporting in a phased manner with the senior four and six students returning on Sunday. The senior three and five students are expected to report today while senior one and two learners will report on Tuesday.
The school has also started offering and sharing words of encouragement and psychosocial support with the learners in order to prepare their minds for studies and avert further strikes. Owani disclosed that they have organised a mega psychosocial support session with a team of experts at the school on Friday this week.
Dr. David Onen Otto, the director of Gulu Central High School Director earlier on disclosed that 80 students who are believed to have masterminded the March 6th 2022 violent strike had been expelled.
He added that each student has also been asked to pay Shs 100,000 to help the school to carry out major repairs on the damaged property including window panes, wall fence, school bus, furniture and computers among others.
George Yeko, the Coordinator Uganda National Students Association (UNSA) for Northern Uganda advised the school to create a friendly environment and approach the students in order to avert further strikes. By Sunday afternoon, the school administration, staff and security were conducting thorough screening of students for unwanted items in the school.