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The Ghana Education Service (GES) has been urged to conduct a thorough investigation into the physical assault and indefinite suspension of Abraham Sambou, a third-year student at Labone Senior High School.
In a letter to the GES dated June 21, Mrs. Raissa Ebu detailed that the incident occurred on June 18 when the House Master, Mr. Eric Agyemang, also known as Power, allegedly slapped Mr. Sambou following a false accusation by the school prefect, Blessing Nyamekye, who claimed Mr. Sambou was using a mobile phone and refused to surrender it.
“In addition to the assault, Master Sambou was prevented from attending classes on the same day and was kept in the senior house master’s room without food or water until after 2 PM, when we arrived to meet with the school’s management,” Mrs. Ebu wrote.
She further stated, “Following this, Master Sambou has been indefinitely expelled from the boarding house despite his denial of the false allegations. Master Sambou maintains that he does not use a phone at school; he was merely defending himself against the prefect’s harassment and false accusation.”
Mrs. Ebu expressed that this unjustified, undocumented expulsion without due process has created a significant issue for the entire family, as Master Sambou would now have to travel daily from Kasoa in the Central Region to Labone, Accra.
“The family is deeply concerned about the mistreatment of our ward, Master Sambou, and the conduct of the school authorities, particularly Mr. Agyemang, who has admitted to slapping the vulnerable final year student—a student who needs all the psychological help he can get as the WASSCE approaches,” she noted.
Mr. Agyemang justified his actions by claiming Master Sambou lied about his father’s availability when asked to provide his father’s phone number. Mrs. Ebu pointed out that it was later confirmed that Master Sambou’s father was indeed unavailable, as the call was eventually answered by the boy’s mother.
During a visit to the school to discuss the issue, the headmistress, Mrs. Rejoice Acorlor, openly supported Mr. Agyemang’s actions. Mrs. Ebu reported that the headmistress stated she would have acted even more severely, saying she would have slapped the boy and hit him with her shoes. Mrs. Acorlor also mentioned that if the incident had occurred before the WASSCE registration, she would have ensured Master Sambou was not registered for the exam.
“This boastful stance by the headmistress raises serious concerns about the school’s governance and the quality of education,” Mrs. Ebu added.
“The wrongful actions against Abraham Sambou have caused significant distress and disruption to his education, particularly as he prepares for his final examination. Following the assault, Master Abraham Sambou has been experiencing severe headaches and pain in his left ear and left eye, necessitating treatment at the Amanfro Polyclinic on Wednesday, June 19, 2024.”
Mrs. Ebu also mentioned that Mr. Agyemang has a photograph of himself on his WhatsApp display picture (contact number 0244382506) in which he is purportedly displaying a gun.
“It is imperative that Master Abraham Sambou is given a fair hearing as required by natural law so that he can continue his studies without undue physical and psychological trauma,” she stated.