MUKONO — Tensions rose at Mt St Henry’s High School in Mukono on Friday after a group of parents protested the indefinite suspension of at least 10 Senior Four students over alleged misconduct during the school holiday.
The parents stormed the school demanding that the disciplinary action against their children be reconsidered, arguing that the students were not given a fair opportunity to explain themselves before the suspensions were imposed.
The school administration said investigations had established that the students engaged in conduct that allegedly tarnished the institution’s reputation and violated its values.
In a suspension letter dated August 3, 2026, and signed by headteacher Teopista Nakalembe, the school accused the students of using illegal drugs, sharing pornographic material and organising house parties during the holiday.
Despite the suspension, the affected students will be allowed to sit their Uganda National Examinations Board (UNEB) examinations, although the school has attached several conditions.
According to the letter, the students will be required to travel from home to the examination centre for every paper and will have to be accompanied by a security officer to and from the centre.
They will also be required to report to the examination room at least 15 minutes before the start of each paper.
The school further directed that all outstanding fees be cleared before the students are allowed to sit the examinations, including Shs1.29 million in day-scholar fees.
The administration warned that failure to meet the conditions could result in the students being denied permission to sit the examinations.
However, the disciplinary measures have angered some parents, who questioned the decision to suspend the candidates indefinitely at a time when they are preparing for their final examinations.
One parent argued that the alleged misconduct occurred during the school holiday, away from school premises and while the students were under the care of their families.
The parent said the school should have first contacted the parents before taking disciplinary action against the students.
The parents also criticised the requirement for the students to be escorted by security officers whenever they report for examinations.
“Are they criminals?” one of the parents asked, questioning why candidates sitting their final examinations should be subjected to security escorts.
The parents also disputed the demand for Shs1.29 million in day-scholar fees, arguing that the affected students would not be attending classes during their suspension.
Some parents further claimed that students who did not participate in the alleged house parties were punished because of their friendships with those accused of misconduct.
They said the school had asked them to write individual letters seeking a reduction of the disciplinary measures, but maintained that the punishment was unfair for students who were allegedly not directly involved.
The parents also accused the school administration of publicly humiliating the affected students by making them line up before a school assembly attended by more than 2,000 learners.
One parent alleged that the students were referred to as “dancers of bimansulo”, describing the incident as humiliating and outside normal disciplinary procedures.
The parents also questioned the distinction between the alleged house parties and a prom-style event organised by the school for candidates at the end of the first term.
After spending several hours outside the school gate, the parents were eventually allowed into the school premises to present their grievances.
However, they said the administration met them individually rather than holding a joint meeting, despite the parents rais
