The Upper East Regional Directorate of Education, has indefinitely closed down the Zamse Senior Secondary Technical school (ZAMSTECH) in the Upper East Region, after violent disturbances by students over a request to study at night.
Confirming the closure to Citi News, the Headmaster of the school, Francis Banbogo explained that the rioting was as a result of the students’ refusal to retire to bed after prep hours so they are rejuvenated to attend classes the next day.
According to him, the final year students rather insisted that they must be allowed to study throughout the night.
“We adviced them to put on paper reasons for which they want to study into the night and present to the school authorities for a final decision on the matter after considering their concerns.”
“So after I have advised them on what they should do and then shortly after I left for the house, they put off all the school lighting systems, besieged the staff common room started vandalizing school property and throwing stones at teachers insisting they must be allowed to study into the night.”
The students broke into the school’s computer laboratory and made away with an undisclosed number of computers and also cracked the windscreen of the school bus”, Mr. Banbogo stated.
Upper East Regional Director of Education, Madam Janet Kawia on a visit to the school to assess the extent of damage caused by the students, ordered for an indefinite closure of the school.
Meanwhile, twenty seven students comprising twenty five boys and two girls, have so far been arrested and detained by the Bolgatanga Municipal Police Station expecting to be granted bail by their students.
Police officers have been deployed to the school to maintain law and order and also to forestall further attacks.
In recent times, there have been several reports of rioting by students particularly in the Northern part of the country, which in most cases led to the closure of the schools.
In most cases, the cause of the rioting were issues considered trivial.
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By: Frederick Awuni/citifmonline.com/Ghana