Kampala — DRUNKENNESS among students is one of the causes of the deteriorating academic performance at Nabumali High School in Mbale district, the head teacher has said.

James Mulomi said the students sneak out to Mbale town and the suburbs at night to drink waragi (potent gin) and malwa (millet brew) because the school lacks a fence.

Addressing Old Students at a get-together on Saturday, Mulomi noted that most students were devoted to their studies, but get distracted by drunken and hostile colleagues. The meeting was called to discuss strategies of regaining the former glory of the school.

Mulomi explained that the students' strikes and demonstrations in previous years were also due to drunkenness.

The students last year held two demonstrations, protesting the poor administration of the then head teacher, George Ruremire.

They burnt a dormitory and school kitchen, forcing the ministry to indefinitely close the school.

Mulomi noted that the number of O'level candidates scoring Division One last year dropped from 102 in 2003 to 42, while the number of As scored in A' levels dropped from 21 in 2003 to 4.

Mulomi added that due to continuous strife between students and the school administration, parents had lost trust in the school and taken their children to other schools plunging the student's population from 2000 in 2003 to 880 last year.

Housing state minister Michael Werikhe advised the school administrators to open a website where they can post relevant data and lobby for funding from its alumni.

"Nabumali has nurtured ministers, legislators and professionals globally. You need is to strengthen your lobbying strategies," Werikhe noted.

He donated 100 bags of cement.