By Samuel Yaokumah
Akropong-Akuapem (E/R), Sept. 10, GNA – Mrs Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, the Eastern Regional Minister, has urged students to uphold good moral values and discipline as they prepare to assume leadership responsibilities in the future.
The Minister made the call when she led a high-powered delegation to visit Okuapemman Senior High School and Mount Sinai Senior High School in Akropong-Akuapem.
The delegation comprised the Eastern Regional Director of Education, Dr Ivy Asantewa Owusu; the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Joseph Owusu Bempah; and other officials.
The visit followed disturbances at the two schools, during which students allegedly set fire to a double three-unit classroom block at Okuapemman Senior High School and the main bathroom block at the boys’ dormitory of Mount Sinai Senior High School.
The incidents were reportedly linked to longstanding tensions between students of the two schools.
Addressing the students of both schools, Mrs Awatey said she was appalled by the extent of damage caused to school property.
She said investigations were ongoing and warned that the authorities would not spare anyone found culpable.
The Minister expressed shock and disbelief at the way some students resorted to taking the law into their own hands and attempting to settle disputes through violence.
She reminded the students that schools were established to groom young people for the future and prepare them to assume leadership responsibilities.
She said the incidents therefore provided serious cause for concern.
Mrs Awatey noted that while the government was making strenuous efforts to provide the necessary infrastructure to help address the double-track system, it was unfortunate that some students were destroying the very facilities being provided.
She said such behaviour was inconsistent with the government’s development agenda and stressed that although the damaged facilities would be rebuilt, measures would be put in place to prevent a recurrence.
She warned that any student found engaging in misconduct or acts of violence would face the full force of the law.
In her remarks, Dr Owusu, expressed disappointment over the disturbances at the two institutions.
She noted that students are primarily sent to school to acquire knowledge, develop good character and become responsible members of society.
She described the incidents as unacceptable and urged all parties to bring the existing feud to an immediate end.
Dr. Owusu advised students to report any deviant behaviour that could disrupt academic work to the appropriate school authorities.
She also commended the Ghana Police Service and the Ghana National Fire Service for their swift response in bringing the situation under control.
She expressed the hope that the collaboration between the Ghana Education Service and the security services would continue to ensure peace and security in schools.
For his part, the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Joseph Owusu Bempah, condemned the disturbances, describing them as unacceptable and calling for them to be strongly denounced.
He cautioned students against taking the law into their own hands, particularly attacking or pelting police officers with stones, warning that anyone found engaging in such acts would be treated as a criminal and dealt with accordingly.
DCOP Bempah said the primary responsibility of students was to study, acquire knowledge and prepare themselves for their future careers rather than engage in acts of violence and other nefarious activities.
He urged students to desist from inflicting injuries on their colleagues or destroying school property whenever misunderstandings arose.
He pointed out that many people had passed through the two institutions without resorting to the destruction of school property and urged the current generation of students to follow a similar path.
He further encouraged the students to concentrate on their studies and work towards obtaining good grades that would enable them to contribute meaningfully to national development.
DCOP Bempah also disclosed that the security services were aware of alleged miscreants and school dropouts in the town who, from the background, allegedly influenced students and encouraged acts of vandalism and unrest.
He warned that the police would not spare any student who engaged in acts of violence capable of undermining peace and discipline in the schools.
“If you want to have a bragging right, it is not by demonstrating which school is noted for hooliganism, pelting the police and teachers, but rather which school is top in academics, sports and quiz competitions,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Ghana News Agency, after interacting with a few teachers, students and residents of Akropong township, gathered that the recent disturbances had caused considerable concern among the community.
Some respondents indicated that the rivalry between the two schools could be traced back about 10 years ago.
A number of the respondents suggested that, given what they described as the violent history associated with Mount Sinai Senior High School, the institution should be converted into a girls’ senior high school as a way of permanently ending the recurring clashes between the two schools.
GNA
Editing by D.I. Laary/Benjamin Mensah
Reporter: Samuel Yaokumah
Reporter’s email address: [email protected]