Jinja City authorities have ordered Multiple Junior School to close with effect from Friday, 21st August 2026, for operating without a valid license and failing to meet Ministry of Education and Sports (MoES) Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards.
In a Closure Notice dated 22nd July 2026, the City directed that the school will not open for 3rd Term 2026 until it fulfills all MoES requirements and obtains official clearance from the Jinja City Department of Education.
“According to the regulations of the Ministry of Education and Sports no school or institution should operate without a valid license or registration. This indicates that the school does not meet the Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards,” the notice reads.
The Jinja City CEO Paul Baliraine Mugaju who co-authored the letter warns “Failure to comply with this will attract severe penalties.”
The notice was collectively signed by Ms. Mutesi Amina, Senior Inspector of Schools; Ms Nalugoda Vicky, Headteacher of Multiple Junior School; Paul Baliraine Mugaju, City Education Officer; and Ndahura Isabella, the Deputy Town Clerk, who signed on behalf of Town Clerk Godfrey B. Kisekka who is said to be on annual leave.
Background to the Closure.
City officials say the inspection and subsequent closure follow public complaints about the school’s operations. According to city officials, the closure followed weeks of engagements with the school proprietor, urging compliance with the law and regulations.
Mugaju says even efforts to meet for guidance were unsuccessful as the director was reportedly reluctant and defiant.
It is understood that the matter gained attention after an allegation of beating of a pupil, which the child’s mother reported to police.
According to court records, the allegation is now before court where some teachers from the school were charged and later released on bail. The corporal punishment allegation is not cited in the closure letter issued by Jinja City.
The case also prompted an impromptu visit to the school a few days ago by the Minister of State for Gender, Labour and Social Development in charge of Youth and Children Affairs, Hon. Dr. Mercy Faith Lakisa, who interacted with parents and learners.
Multiple Junior School is a privately managed institution owned by Hamza Kizito.
Legal Position on Corporal Punishment in Schools. Whereas the closure notice did not cite corporal punishment, the law in Uganda is clear on the matter.
According to the Children Act, Cap 59 Section 7, every child is entitled to protection from physical punishment and all other forms of cruel and degrading treatment. The 1995 Constitution, Article 24, also prohibits torture and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment of any person, including learners.
The Ministry of Education and Sports Basic Requirements and Minimum Standards, 2008 explicitly bans corporal punishment in all schools. The regulations direct schools to use guidance, counseling, and other forms of positive discipline instead of caning or beating.
Legal experts note that teachers found to have assaulted learners can also be prosecuted under the Penal Code Act for assault or causing grievous bodily harm.
This is in line with Uganda’s obligations under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child and the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, both ratified by Uganda.
The Ministry has repeatedly warned that any school where child abuse is reported risks not only criminal prosecution of individuals, but also loss of license if found to be tolerating the practice.
In the case of Multiple Junior School, court records indicate that the allegation of beating a pupil was reported to police and is now before court, where some teachers were charged and later released on bail.
Education officials say such cases are handled separately from administrative actions like closure for licensing breaches.
Stakeholders in Jinja have called on school owners to invest in training teachers on positive discipline to avoid running afoul of the law and to protect the welfare of learners.
Impact on Learners.
Hundreds of pupils are expected to be affected ahead of 3rd Term. Parents will be guided and advised to seek placement in other licensed schools within Jinja City to avoid disruption.
For the school to reopen, proprietors are required to meet all BRMS set by the Ministry of Education and Sports and secure formal permission from Jinja City.
Trusted sources say the headteacher Nalugoda Vicky intimated to friends that the school administration is already consulting the proprietor on the way forward.
Education officials maintain the enforcement is part of ongoing efforts to ensure all schools comply with national standards and safeguard learner welfare.
The Exposure Uganda (TEU)Editorial: No License, No Immunity.
The closure of Multiple Junior School must serve as a warning to every proprietor in Jinja and beyond.
Liberalization of education did not legalize lawlessness. To be private is not to be above the law. The Ministry, the City, and the Constitution all have eyes on your gates.
Let it be known: Children are not handkerchiefs to be tossed, beaten, or hidden. They are citizens with rights. Their classrooms, their safety, and their future are protected by the Education Act, the Children Act, and Article 24 of the Constitution. Neither wealth nor “big connections” in public offices can purchase exemption.
Money talks. Influence opens doors. But “a house built on sand must fall when the storm comes.” Operating without registration and without meeting BRMS is building on sand.
And to those who think threats silence the press: that era is dead.
This reporter has already received threats from one of the school teachers in Jinja district to his life for stating facts, fairly and objectively, about an assault on a pupil. The matter is now with security agencies. “You cannot cover the sun with one hand.” Intimidation is an admission of guilt, not a defense.
To school owners: comply or close. To parents: demand standards.
To authorities: enforce without fear or favor. To the lawless: the law will find you.
We Expose, You Decide.
