The school Director of Obia Memorial Nursery and Primary School in Kwania District spent the night in custody for allegedly assaulting a parent who had gone to pick up his children being held at school for holiday studies.
The suspect, a former Kwania District LC5 Chairperson and resident of Aduku Town Council, was arrested by the police on Friday after a parent identified as Mr Solomon Okok accused him of beating him up at his school compound before his children.
In his statement to police, Mr Okok, a resident of Aduku Town Council, alleged that he went to the school on Friday, August, 28, 2026, to pick up his two children to take home for holidays, but the director attacked him after he declined to pay Shs50,000, which he was demanding per child purportedly for the holiday lessons.
“I went to pick up my children, one in P4 and another in P6, who were held at school for holiday studies, but the bursar refused to hand them over. Then he called the school director, who came and accused me of reporting him to the police for teaching during holidays before assaulting me badly,” he said.
He added: “When the schools were officially closed last week, our children were not released to go home for holidays, and they are demanding Shs 50,000 from us per child, and this is happening at many schools, but people are silent about it.”
North Kyoga Police Spokesperson, SP Patrick Jimmy Okema, North Kyoga Region Police Spokesperson, confirmed the arrest, adding that investigations into the matter have already commenced.
“The parent had indeed gone to follow the child, but there is a rumour that the parent was drunk, so we are now investigating to find out what transpired, but it is against the guidelines of the Ministry of Education to keep children at school during holidays,” he said in a telephone interview on Friday.
Police say the suspect spent a night in police custody at Kwania Central Police Station before being released on police bond on the morning of Saturday, August 29, 2026.
But on Saturday, after his release, the school director accused Mr Okok of being drunk and making unnecessary claims when he went to the school.
''He was already drunk and started causing chaos, so I slapped him only once, but didn't fight him as he is alleging.'' The accused spoke to this publication on Saturday.
Kwania acting District Education Officer, Mr Andrew Omunu, cautioned school leaders engaging in holiday teaching to desist from it to avoid being caught on the wrong side of the law.
“We have learnt that some schools are teaching children in the kitchen and others under the trees in the bushes near the school, but this is illegal. Let’s follow the government school calendar, and parents should report schools holding their children for holiday studies,” he said.
