By Vicent Emong
Authorities in Kumi District have arrested the director, principal, a teacher, and several students of Kumi Comprehensive Secondary School after an inspection revealed that the institution was operating far below the minimum standards required for secondary schools in Uganda.
The enforcement operation was conducted on Tuesday by the district inspection team led by the Resident District Commissioner, John Bosco Mubito. The team worked alongside officials from the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Uganda Police Force.
Those arrested include the school’s resident director, Kokas Onyait, the principal of Kumi Christian Vocational Institute, Simon Opedun, and a teacher identified as Grace Asio. Twelve students from the secondary school were also briefly detained to record statements before being returned to the school.
During the inspection, authorities discovered that Kumi Comprehensive Secondary School was operating alongside Kumi Christian Vocational Institute on the same premises, sharing classrooms and dormitories in violation of education regulations.
Officials further found that the secondary school had only one active teacher responsible for teaching all classes from Senior One to Senior Four. The teacher reportedly specializes only in History, yet students are expected to study other core subjects such as Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics.
“This is very embarrassing and unfortunate, especially because this has been happening close to our offices without our knowledge,” said RDC John Bosco Mubito.
According to the inspection report, the school has fewer than 20 students despite charging parents about UGX 450,000 in school fees. Authorities say the institution advertises itself as a quality boarding school, yet the services offered fall far below acceptable standards.
Stella Atai, the Kumi Municipality Education Officer, confirmed that the school failed to meet operational guidelines set under the Education Act Uganda.
She noted that inspectors found only one teacher on duty and poor welfare conditions for the students.
“At the time of inspection, there was only one teacher, and the students had reportedly gone without food until around 3 p.m. the previous day,” Atai said.
Authorities collected the contact details of parents and plan to organize a meeting to determine the next course of action. Officials are considering transferring the learners to other schools to safeguard their academic future.
RDC John Bosco Mubito also directed the teacher, the school proprietor, and the vocational institute principal to record statements with the Uganda Police Force as investigations continue.
Officials suspect the school’s proprietor neglected proper management of the secondary school while allowing another institution to operate on the same premises without authorization.
Authorities have also advised parents across Kumi District to personally verify the standards of schools before enrolling their children rather than relying solely on advertisements.
“Parents should not just trust adverts,” Mubito warned. “They should visit schools and confirm the conditions where their children will study and live.”
Meanwhile, Simon Opedun, the principal of Kumi Christian Vocational Institute, said he had earlier been informed that the learners from the secondary school would be transferred to another institution, although the plan had not yet been implemented.
Some students also revealed that they have been studying only History, taught by a single teacher, due to a shortage of qualified staff.
Authorities say further action will be taken after consultations with parents and completion of the ongoing investigations.
