A signpost of Pherry Junior School located at Kitete in Mukono Central Division
Sylvia Okite, the director and head teacher of Pherry Junior School in Mukono Municipality is under the spotlight for allegedly detaining eight Primary Seven leavers due to unpaid school fees. The director ordered the detention of the candidates shortly after completing their Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE) last Thursday.
Reports indicate that the school confined the children to a single room in a bid to pressure their parents into clearing outstanding fees balances. The situation gained attention when a parent, attempting to settle part of the balance, found themselves detained at the school as well.
Joseph Kasirye, the father of one detained thirteen-year-old girl, revealed, “Yes, there are arrears of about Shillings 1.5 million, after the school threatened to deny my daughter a chance to write her papers, I was forced to surrender my motorcycle card as security but to my surprise, the school detained my daughter up to now. Upon entering the school to demand for her release I was also put under detention.”
Kasirye was further compelled to sign an agreement committing to pay Shillings 2.5 million, incurring an additional fine of one million Shillings for delayed payment. Florence Nabbanja, Kasirye’s wife, reported the matter to Wantoni Police Station. However, officers there declined to open a case. Another parent, Dorcus Muwanga, shared that her daughter was released only after paying 300,000 Shillings of the 500,000 Shillings demanded.
“My daughter returned home sick, suggesting the school withheld food during the detention. Her condition and an unusual odor indicated challenges even in basic hygiene,” she said. Aggrieved parents collectively approached Mukono Police Division to address their grievances. Yet, they were met with threats against tarnishing the school’s reputation.
Mukono Division Police Commander, Edirisa Kyeyune, summoned the school director to record a statement regarding the illegal detention of minors, emphasizing that detaining children after completing exams is unlawful. Kyeyune directed the school to release all detained children to the police for reunification with their families, warning of potential intervention if compliance isn’t met.
In response, the director seemed unconcerned, suggesting that detaining children compels parents to pay. She dismissed complaints as attempts to smear the school’s reputation.
-URN
