Mukono — The Mukono Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Hajjat Fatuma Ndisaba, has ordered the closure of Cream Field Vocational Senior School in Nakifuma–Naggalama Town Council following violent protests by students who were denied the chance to sit their Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) examinations.
The chaos erupted after at least 15 Senior Four students were blocked from sitting the 2025 Uganda National Examinations Board (Uneb) exams despite reportedly paying the Shs250,000 registration fee.
Distraught parents and students accused the school administration of failing to register the candidates, leading to emotional breakdowns and, in some cases, hospitalisation.
Several students reportedly collapsed upon learning they had been left out of the exams.
Angry students reacted by vandalizing school property, smashing windows of several buildings, including the school mosque and the head teacher’s office.
Officers from Naggalama Police Station were called in to contain the situation and attempted to arrest the protesting students.
However, local Member of Parliament Fred Simbwa intervened and prevented the arrests, condemning the move as unjust.
He demanded that school administrators—not the students—be held accountable.
“Instead of arresting those who ate our children’s money, the police are turning on the victims,” said the father of one affected student, Mazi Nasuuna.
Joyce Nasirumbi, another parent, said she was devastated after receiving a phone call from her daughter, Milly Nakyanzi, on Saturday informing her that she had been barred from sitting for her exams.
“I was shocked. I’ve invested everything I have to ensure my daughter’s education. How can this happen?” Nasirumbi lamented.
The affected parents are now demanding compensation and justice. They have also appealed to Uneb to consider setting special exams for the 15 students, arguing that it would be unfair and costly for them to repeat Senior Four under the new curriculum.
Inside sources at the school revealed that teachers and administrators fled the premises days before the exams, leaving students stranded.
According to Head Prefect Andrew Kigozi, the staff disappeared as soon as the scandal surfaced.
When RDC Ndisaba visited the school, she expressed fury over the negligence and immediately ordered its closure. She also directed the District Police Commander to arrest all responsible school officials.
“This school has betrayed the trust of parents and learners. We cannot allow such institutions to continue operating in Mukono,” she said.
Ndisaba also criticized local leaders, parents, and education inspectors for failing to provide adequate oversight.
“We have leaders, parents, GISO officers, and school inspectors here — how did all this go unnoticed? Where were you when these children were being exploited?” she asked.
Students told the RDC that they had been studying without index numbers and were repeatedly told by the administration to “wait until briefing day,” a promise that was never fulfilled.
Later in the day, RDC Ndisaba visited Happy Jill Primary School, also in Nakifuma and owned by the suspect Mohamed Senfuka, to assess Uneb registration compliance among Primary Seven candidates.
She confirmed that the pupils were duly registered to sit the Primary Leaving Examinations (PLE).
However, during the inspection, the RDC found deplorable conditions at the school, including classrooms being used as kitchens.
One teacher, Moses Kiyingi, was arrested on-site after allegedly refusing to provide contact information for the school director.