EASTERN PROVINCE BUGESERA—Forty students from Ecole secondary school in Nyamata were on Tuesday suspended and told to return with their parents for taking the Monday before off. Believing that Patriotism Day was an academic public holiday during which school would be closed, the group of students did not attend classes on the first day of the week, and when checking in to school on Tuesday, were asked to leave. Students claim “scores” of teachers and the discipline master had suggested to them the previous Friday that there would be no studies on Monday. They argue now that the teachers purposely misled them. Head teacher Vincent Kayinamura confirmed the development, saying the students were told to report to their parents for ‘granting themselves a holiday.’ Kayinamura explained that there was no official communication on Friday to the effect but students had accorded themselves a holiday. Parents were kept standing under the sun for hours while the headmaster, claiming to be in a meeting, made them wait for explanations. A survey taken in neighboring schools reveals that school attendance was scant on Monday throughout the area, but authorities had not taken serious measures against the absentees because “it would affect many students.” Students say they have on several occasions channeled complaints over lack of studying and unserious teachers through the school head prefect Perfume Nshimiyimana, but nothing has yet come to fruit. Kayinamura heads two sister schools, Ecole secondary in Nyamata and Nyamata primary school. The primary school was upgraded to ‘O’ level by the government to accommodate pupils who failed to meet minimum government cut-off points. Students say that Kayinamura is “so preoccupied,” that he is unable to give each school the attention they need. Kayinamura, who acknowledged being preoccupied with much work for the two schools, said that the teachers who missed lessons had always done so with reasons, but tried to ensure that they meet their duties. Ends
