Reconsider decision to ban 14 WASSCE students – Akufo-Addo to Educ. Minister

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President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has directed the Minister for Education, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, to engage the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reconsider its decision to ban some 14 dismissed final year senior high school students from taking the ongoing West African Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

“Even though the acts of indiscipline undertaken by these students are intolerable, acts which have led to their subsequent dismissal from school, President Akufo-Addo is of the firm view that dismissal alone is enough punishment, and will serve as enough deterrent against future acts of indiscipline,” a statement from the presidency and signed by director of communication Eugene Arhin said on Sunday, August 9, 2020.

The statement added: “The President believes that everyone deserves a second chance in life, and is, thus, hopeful that the students will be allowed by the GES to take their final examinations as scheduled. Indeed, all other punishment imposed by the relevant authorities should remain in place.”

The students engaged in disturbances that affected the smooth running of the examination in their various schools.

The affected students are Nicholas Cobbinah, Kardimeil Suapim and John Kwofie of the Sekondi College. Simon Ameyibor (Senior Prefect), Thomas Anokye and Miss Juliet Amoakowaa of the Tweneboah Koduah SHS. Emmanuel Ashiangmor, Peter Sissi, Ameka Nyamitse, Shadrack Dailtey and Alfred Attiso of the Battor SHS. Solomon Brako, Albert Agyekum and Robert Inkoom of the Juaben SHS.

Meanwhile, a leading children’s rights advocacy body, Child Rights International, Ghana (CRI), has appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reverse its decision to bar 14 students from writing the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The students engaged in disturbances that affected the smooth running of the examination in their various schools.

The affected students are Nicholas Cobbinah, Kardimeil Suapim and John Kwofie of the Sekondi College. Simon Ameyibor (Senior Prefect), Thomas Anokye and Miss Juliet Amoakowaa of the Tweneboah Koduah SHS. Emmanuel Ashiangmor, Peter Sissi, Ameka Nyamitse, Shadrack Dailtey and Alfred Attiso of the Battor SHS. Solomon Brako, Albert Agyekum and Robert Inkoom of the Juaben SHS.

In a statement, CRI commended the GES for the swift action, however, for the sake of the children’s future it appealed to the regulatory body to “reconsider the decision and allow the students to write their remaining examination in the school.”

Below is the full statement of CRI:

CRI APPEALS TO MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND GES TO ALLOW DISMISSED STUDENTS TO WRITE THE WASSCE IN THEIR SCHOOLS.

Child Rights International, Ghana (CRI) has observed with shock the gross misconduct exhibited by students in a number of Senior High Schools during the ongoing WASSCE examination.

CRI also commends the Ghana Education Service for its decision to dismiss the 14 affected students who misconducted themselves in violation of school regulations. It is in the right direction and aimed at entrenching discipline for the moral upbringing of the students.

However, as an organization committed to protecting the rights of children as well as ensuring that the best interest of children are prioritized, CRI believes that any disciplinary measure that undermines the best interest and welfare of students, as provided for in the Children’s Act 560 should not be countenanced.

READ: WASSCE chaos in Ghana schools: What we know so far

Besides, any disciplinary measure should have the objective of reforming the culprit and not to cause harm to his or her future. It is in this vein that Child Rights International views the decision of the Ghana Education Service to dismiss the affected students and at the same time ban them from writing the examination in the remaining subjects as too harsh and has the potential to cause irreparable harm to their future.

Child Rights International, therefore, calls on the Minister of Education Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, MP for Manhyia to intervene in this matter knowing the high office he occupies.

We also appeal to the Director General of Ghana Education Service, Prof. Kwasi OpokuAmankwa to reconsider the decision and allow the students to write their remaining examination in the school while they take appropriate steps to discipline them so that their future is not put into jeopardy.

Meanwhile, three teachers have also been interdicted and barred from invigilating the examination awaiting the conclusion of investigations into their alleged roles in some of the reported cases.

The teachers are Thomas Anokye of Tweneboah Kodua SHS, Joseph Andoh of Sekondi College, and Evans Yeboah of the Kade Senior High and Technical School (SHTS). They have been referred to the security agencies for further investigations.

Source: Daily Mail GH