KAMPALA- A cloud of sorrow and grief befell students and administrators of Seeta High School after a senior three student at the School’s main campus was found dead in a dormitory in the early hours of Friday morning.
Information obtained by this reporter indicates that a student, identified as 16-year-old Eli Shama Ssesanga, was discovered hanging from a mosquito net by fellow students who had woken up for early morning revisions at around 3 am.
Startled by the discovery, the students alerted teachers, who in turn informed the Police. Officers from Mukono Police Station arrived at the scene at approximately 4 am. However, information about the incident remains limited, as the school management reportedly withheld details from the public.
Efforts to obtain an official statement from the police have so far been unsuccessful, nevertheless, an officer from Mukono Police Station, speaking on condition of anonymity, confirmed that Ssesanga’s body had been taken to the city mortuary for a postmortem examination.
The same officer indicated that the school administration had cautioned them against disclosing details of the incident, particularly to the media. Seeta High School is part of the Seeta Schools group, which is owned by the State Minister for Higher Education, John Chrysostom Muyingo.
The circumstances surrounding the teenager’s death remain unclear, with many questioning how he was able to use a mosquito net to take his own life in a dormitory that did not have a ceiling.
Sources indicate that school authorities are negotiating with the deceased’s family for a quiet burial. The body is expected to be taken to Kyotera for burial, with a vigil currently being held in Nyanama.
The incident has deeply traumatised students, particularly those who were forced to remain in the same dormitory where their fellow student had committed suicide.
Samuel Kawooya, a resident of Seeta town, believes it is a wake-up call for school administrations to enforce regular dormitory inspections, particularly after evening study sessions.
Another resident, Sandra Nabirye, has urged schools to prioritize counselling for students, particularly at the start of new terms, to assess their mental well-being.
“Some children spend their holidays alone without the company of their parents and return to school feeling lonely. They sometimes confide in people who may not fully understand their struggles,” Nabirye said.
This marks the second reported death of a student in a major school in Mukono this term. Earlier, Carnelian Mary Ndagire, also a senior three student at Mpoma Girls’ School, reportedly set herself on fire in protest against returning to the school.
The incidents have sparked debate about the mental health and well-being of students, with calls for increased psychological support within educational institutions.
