Maracha Secondary School in Maracha District has been closed following a violent fight with Otravu Secondary school in Uganda’s West Nile region.
The decision to close the school indefinitely came after the students of Maracha SS attacked their counterparts from Otravu SS on Thursday morning in retaliation for a similar attack in which school properties were destroyed on Wednesday night.
The students were, however, intercepted by police who fired teargas canisters and live bullets to disperse the rowdy students. Three students and one Police Officer were injured in the process and are receiving treatment in various health facilities in the Maracha District.
Daniel Leku, the headteacher of Maracha SS says that their attempt to block the students from leaving the school compound was futile as they broke through the school fence to attack Otravu SS.
Maracha Resident District Commissioner Festus Ayikobua says that the decision to send the students home is to prevent further clashes and destruction of property as they investigate the matter.
He added that the students became rowdy after they attempted to conduct a roll call of those who remained at the compound during the time of the attack.
William Andeoye, the LCIII chairperson of Nyadri sub-county where the school is located has described the incident as unfortunate and blamed it on poor parenting.
According to the police, two students of Maracha SS have been arrested to help in investigations following the incident.
The latest incident comes just a few days after four students of Okufura Secondary School and Nile High Odia Secondary School in the Arua district were arrested over malicious damage of property following an inter-school fight, in which school properties were vandalized and over six students injured.
This is not the first time students of the two schools attacked each other. In 2013, students of Maracha SS and Otravu SS clashed during the district post-primary football and netball championships hosted at Nyoro Primary School. As a result, both schools were suspended from participating in the tournament for two years.
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