The committee set up to investigate the riot by the students at the St. Paul’s Senior High School in Denu, in the Volta Region, has accused authorities of the school of neglecting worrying signals which might have contributed to the riot at the school.
This was contained in a report which was submitted by the committee tasked to investigate how a student was shot dead earlier this month [February] after students rioted, claiming the Police and school authorities were protecting two of their colleagues whom they accused of being homosexuals.
[contextly_sidebar id=”D3BdaF52claf9BVensNDSBOYoa0D7zvf”]The students, who were incensed by the Police attempts to prevent them from “delivering instant justice” to the pair, barricaded the major roads and burnt lorry ties.
The school was subsequently shut down and a seven-member committee was set up by the Municipal Security Council to investigate the circumstances surrounding the unrest at the school.
What the Committee Report said
Citi News’ Volta Regional Correspondent, King-Norbert Akpablie reported that the committee stated that the school’s authorities failed to deal appropriately with students who had previously been found engaging in homosexual acts.
The committee believed that the teachers, despite the fact that they aware of acts of homosexuality at the school, have been unable to “curb the situation” and provide the appropriate punishments.
The committee also bemoaned the poor lighting and “general security” on the campus and chided the school for failing to address these issues.
The Municipal Chief Executive of Ketu South Municipal Assembly, Mr. Pascal Lamptey, told Citi News that a series of stakeholder engagements had began into the implementation of the findings of the committee.
“The first of such engagements will be a meeting with the parents of the students on February 20,” King-Norbert Akpablie reported.
The management of the school is also reportedly considering recalling the final year students to enable them prepare for their final exams.
The riot at the school was the first of two such incidents in recent weeks after the Tuna Senior High Technical School in the Sawla Tuna Kalba district in the Northern region was also shut down following a riot by the students.
The students vented their spleen after a teacher had forced a girl he deemed to be wearing inappropriate attire to strip in front of her colleagues.
By: Edwin Kwakofi/citifmonline.com/Ghana