Corpun file 11729

New Vision, Kampala, 5 August 2003

Teachers Interdicted Over Caning

By Catherine Ntabadde

THE city education officer, Muwonge Kewaza, has interdicted five government primary school teachers for caning pupils.

Officiating at Rubaga Girls' Primary School day on Sunday, Kewaza said he was investigating the case to establish the gravity of the punishments.

He said caning was a criminal offence punishable by law.

"I have interdicted the teachers but investigations are still on. Beating or caning is not allowed because the Government banned it. It is a criminal offence to beat children, especially the young ones," Kewaza said.

He declined to give the teachers' names but said two of them taught at Buganda Road and Makerere Church of Uganda primary schools.

He warned teachers against administering corporal punishment, saying they would be prosecuted.

Kewaza advised headteachers to establish the children's health before administering punishments. He also warned schools against grading pupils according to their abilities, saying it discouraged them.

The school day was marked with music, dance and drama festivals where pupils decried third term talk, child abuse and the LRA war.

They also praised the Universal Primary Education programme.