S.5 Student Hospitalized After Being Brutally Beaten By His Teacher For Arriving Late At School

A shocking incident at Amuria High School has left 20-year-old Abraham Obadia paralyzed, igniting outrage and renewed discussions about school violence and corporal punishment in Uganda.

Obadia, a senior five student at Amuria High School, has been confined to a hospital bed at Soroti Regional Referral Hospital since September 26, 2023. He alleges that he was severely beaten by his teacher, Samuel Opio, after arriving late for morning lessons. The brutal beating, administered while Obadia was lying down, reportedly resulted in immediate paralysis.

In an interview from his hospital bed, Obadia recounted the harrowing ordeal, stating that after the beating, the teacher provided pain relievers, but his condition only worsened. It was only after a week of persistent suffering that he managed to contact his parents, who promptly removed him from school.

Medical professionals attending to Obadia at Soroti Hospital have indicated that his spinal cord injury may necessitate surgery if his condition does not improve in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the financial burden on Obadia’s family has been immense, with his father, Joseph Opolon, expressing frustration over the lack of support from the school.

Despite repeated attempts to seek assistance from the school administration, Opolon claims they have been met with silence and resistance, further exacerbating their plight. Paul Omoit, another student allegedly beaten alongside Obadia, corroborated the incident, highlighting the shock among students witnessing their classmate’s sudden incapacitation.

The case has shed light on the persistent issue of corporal punishment in Ugandan schools, despite its illegality under national law. Save the Children, a humanitarian organization advocating for children’s rights, has condemned the incident, emphasizing that corporal punishment violates international conventions and children’s rights to dignity and protection from violence.

The situation has raised questions about the enforcement of existing laws and the accountability of educators who resort to violence in schools. Efforts to reach the school administration for comment were unsuccessful, with authorities claiming ignorance of the incident.

While Opio was initially arrested and released on bond, calls for justice and accountability continue to grow. As Obadia grapples with uncertain prospects for his education and recovery, his case serves as a sobering reminder of the urgent need to safeguard students’ well-being and eliminate violence from educational settings.