An eight-year-old girl has died and three other pupils have been injured after a windstorm and heavy rain caused a dormitory at Bright Light Nursery and Primary School in Omoro District to collapse.
The deceased, Benisa Lagum, was a Primary Three pupil at the school. She was reportedly sleeping with other girls on beds near the dormitory entrance when the walls gave way, trapping them beneath the debris.
The incident occurred at about 6:30am on Saturday in Wii Lamin Ayila Village, Paidong Parish, Bobi Sub-county, after strong winds reportedly blew off the dormitory roof before the walls collapsed.
The three injured pupils were identified as Viola Caffy Apio, 12, a Primary Four pupil; Abigel Atim, 11, a Primary Five pupil; and Gift Lanyero, 10, a Primary Three pupil.
The girls were taken for medical treatment following the incident. Atim remained admitted to Gulu Regional Referral Hospital, while Apio and Lanyero were discharged on Saturday evening.
Police said investigations were underway to establish the circumstances surrounding the collapse.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about the safety of school infrastructure, particularly dormitories where children sleep and may have little opportunity to escape when buildings collapse unexpectedly.
Chris Woo, the Omoro District Secretary for Health, Education and Community Development, warned that authorities would take action against unlicensed private schools, including those operating in dilapidated buildings.
Woo’s warning places renewed scrutiny on school proprietors’ responsibility to provide safe accommodation and learning environments for pupils.
Dormitories require particular attention because children may be asleep when structural failures occur, reducing their ability to respond quickly. Weak walls, poorly maintained roofs and severe weather can expose learners to serious risks.
Authorities are expected to establish the cause of the collapse and determine whether the building met the required safety standards.
Lagum’s death has left her family grieving the loss of a young child, while the three surviving pupils recover from their injuries.
The tragedy has also renewed questions about the inspection and enforcement of safety standards in schools, particularly private institutions where children live on the premises.
As investigations continue, the circumstances surrounding the dormitory’s collapse are expected to help determine what measures may be necessary to prevent similar incidents.
