Teaching and learning activities at the Konongo Odumase Senior High School in the Ashanti Region have come to a halt following a decision by the school’s board to send the students home for rioting.
Speaking to Citi News, David Asare, tutor at the school who also doubles as the Chairman of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) for the Asante Akyem Central Municipality said the decision was taken after a board meeting.
The students went on rampage on Friday at the premises of the school over what they described as ‘unlawful’ transfer of some ten teachers by the headmistress, Comfort Odehe.
The students claimed the headmistress’ action was because the teachers were leading a “crusade” for the arrest of another teacher who had allegedly sodomised two of the students.
During the protest, the students threatened to burn down the school.
“Students have been asked to go home as a result of the demonstration that they had, the board chairman was around and asked the children to go home. He said they would be communicated to as and when they want them to come back. It was as a result of the board meeting that the decision was arrived at since we did not want to take chances,” David Asare noted.
Mr. Asare said the board is expected to hold further consultations with “some major stakeholders and deliberate on the issues raised by the students.”
“For the union, it is an administrative issue that has come up and the teachers involved are both NAGRAT and GNAT members so the union is also seeing how best it can mediate and possibly bring an end to this situation that the teachers are going through. Per the letters that were issued to them [transferred teachers], they were to report to their new stations on December 1. This implies that from the 1st of December they are no longer part of this institution,” he explained.
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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin