Kampala, (UG): Over the weekend, Wampeewo Senior Secondary School in Wakiso District was shaken by the tragic news that Hawa Nantongo, a student at the school, had committed suicide.
According to reports, the 17-year-old Senior Five student was distraught over being forced by her mother to pursue science subjects, despite her strong preference for arts subjects.
Nantongo’s mother had been called to the school multiple times in an effort to reach an agreement with her daughter. Nantongo was compelled to take Biology, Chemistry, and Mathematics (BCM), though she wished to study Divinity, Economics, and Luganda (DEL).
A fellow student, who chose to remain anonymous, shared that Nantongo was often in tears over the difficult subject combination she was forced into. Teachers had attempted to persuade her mother to let her switch subjects, but their efforts were unsuccessful.
Another close friend of Nantongo revealed that she was deeply distressed after her mother introduced her to a man she claimed was her biological father, contradicting what Nantongo had always believed.
Nantongo’s mother insisted that she would only cover school fees if her daughter continued with the BCM combination, even if it meant repeating Senior Six.
On the evening of Friday, June 7th, 2024, Nantongo, who was in the boarding section, managed to evade the school gatekeeper by pretending to be a day scholar. She was later found hanging from a rope in a nearby wetland area.
As of the time of this report, the police had not yet issued a statement regarding the incident. Nantongo’s body was taken to Mulago mortuary for a postmortem, and an investigation has been launched to determine the precise circumstances surrounding her death.
