A head teacher in Kalungu was arrested on Friday after members of the school management committee (SMC) accused him of failing to account for capitation grants amounting to Shs3.4m.
The incident happened at Kabaale Roman Catholic Primary School in Kyamulibwa Sub-County, Kalungu District.
The SMC members locked up Mr Dominic Mukasa in his office and later handed him over to police who took him to Kyamulibwa Police Station for further investigations.
According to SMC members, the school has not accounted for over Shs3 million in capitation grants that it has received from the government since last term.
Mr George William Kasozi, the representative of old students on the school management committee, said the school’s performance has kept declining over time due to weaknesses of Mr Mukasa.
“It’s hurting to see our school in such a sorry state. He [Mukasa] has even failed to buy padlocks for buildings where critical school properties are kept,” he said.
He added that both teaching and non-teaching staff are demoralized because of poor welfare yet the funds meant to cater for this, are being swindled.
Mr Mukasa asked to be pardoned as he pledged to pay back the money in one week, but members of the school management committee stood their ground and insisted that he should be investigated by police.
The chairperson of Kyamulibwa sub-county, Mr Eria Mbalaala, asked the district’s education department to always liaise with school management committees and parents and teachers associations (PTAs) while posting head teachers.
“The school was performing well academically, but since Mukasa became head teacher, it has declined in all aspects without any intervention from the district leadership, this needs to be investigated,” he said.
Members of the school management committee finally resolved to petition the district’s education department to transfer Mr Mukasa to another school and also ensure that the missing funds are recovered.
Mr Abubaker Ssuuna, the inspector of schools in Kyamulibwa Sub County, faulted members of school management for locking up Mr Mukasa in his office, saying they should have given the district education department a chance to investigate the matter.
“They could have reported the matter to the district to investigate the allegations and police could have intervened later if he was found culpable,” he said.
On Saturday, Mr Mukasa secured a police bond and was ordered to report back on October 7 to follow up on his case.
The case is still under investigation.
