Corpun file 13829

New Vision, Kampala, 11 August 2004

Nebbi teacher canes pupil, dislocates elbow

AWFUL: Acan displays her elbow as Ovoya hides from the camera

By Frank Mugabi

A Nebbi Primary School teacher recently dislocated a pupil's elbow while caning her.

Winnie Acan, 12, a primary five pupil, said Raymond Ovoya caned her and other classmates for being out of class.

A report from Nebbi Hospital said Acan's elbow was "severely swollen."

"We were standing out of the classroom when he came and caned us two strokes each," Acan said.

She said she had difficulties in writing yet the exam period is approaching.

Ovoya said he used a "normal size" cane to discipline about 20 pupils for "staying out of class and making noise, which was disrupting a lesson in P.6."

"I was teaching a P.6 class and they kept on making noise. I did not intend to hurt her. She placed her hand behind and the stick hit her elbow," he said.

The deputy headmaster, Gloria Akandru, said the disciplinary committee would decide on a punishment for Ovoya since, "caning is not allowed here."

She said punishments like telling the pupils to clean the compound would have been better.

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