At least twenty-nine grade 12 students of Armitage Senior Secondary School, on Monday October 16, went on riot and vandalised the Principal’s office, doors, windows and the school’s 32 seater bus.
During the riot, about four girls were said to have faint ed due to fear and panic. They were taken to Janjangbureh Health Centre for treatment and were discharged that very night.
According to one of the students who spoke under conditions of anonymity, the councillors together with the administration made some rules which did not favour them and thus they had no choice but strike.

Jawuru Susso, another student of the school, asserted that they went on riot because they were stopped from eating outside the dining hall. He said it is a tradition in the school that final year students have their meal outside the dining hall but the kitchen master, one Ebrima Jarra, had informed them that no student was now allowed to eat outside the dining hall.

The Regional Director, Baboucarr Suwareh noted that Armitage Senior Secondary School used to be the most disciplined school in the country. He called on the students to engage in dialogue rather than violence, noting that violence cannot solve any problem.
He also pointed out to the students that every school has its rules and regulations and the students should respect those rules and regulations.

The Deputy Governor, Momodou Katim Touray implored the students not to tarnish the image of the school. He advised the students to be tolerant, responsible and to maintain the peacefulness of the school. The Principal of the school, Ebrima Joof expressed his utter disappointment with the behaviour of the students.

He urged them to respect the government (councillors) rather than engage in vandalising their own properties and stated, “remember that your brothers and sisters and even young children will one day attend the school. Therefore, respect the rules and the regulation of the school”.

Other speakers included the Police Commissioner Mr Kenneh, and the Chief of Janjangbureh Seyfo Bakary Jam Jawoh all of whom expressed their disappointment with the students and urged them to live as one family and to learn to solve their problems through dialogue.