Several people are missing after the incident in the Naf River late on Sunday. It is thought up to 100 people – including children – were on board.

A rescue operation is now under way.

Dozens of Rohingya have already died trying to cross into neighbouring Bangladesh amid a military crackdown in Myanmar’s Rakhine state.

The exact number of people onboard the boat which capsized on Sunday remains unclear, with Bangladesh border guard officials giving estimates varying from 40 to up to 100.

Officials say the bodies of 10 children, a woman and a man have been recovered so far.

It was the latest in a series of deadly incidents involving boats carrying Rohingya migrants to Bangladesh. About 60 people were believed to have died in a similar incident in late September.

While many have fled via the land border, others have attempted to make the crossing by sea in small and rickety fishing boats.

“So many people are still willing to get onboard boats that are overcrowded, potentially people unable to swim. They’re literally putting their lives at risk to make it across to Bangladesh,” said Evan Schuurman, a spokesman with aid agency Save the Children.

It was the latest in a series of deadly incidents involving boats carrying Rohingya migrants to Bangladesh. About 60 people were believed to have died in a similar incident in late September.

While many have fled via the land border, others have attempted to make the crossing by sea in small and rickety fishing boats.

“So many people are still willing to get onboard boats that are overcrowded, potentially people unable to swim. They’re literally putting their lives at risk to make it across to Bangladesh,” said Evan Schuurman, a spokesman with aid agency Save the Children.

It was the latest in a series of deadly incidents involving boats carrying Rohingya migrants to Bangladesh. About 60 people were believed to have died in a similar incident in late September.

While many have fled via the land border, others have attempted to make the crossing by sea in small and rickety fishing boats.

“So many people are still willing to get onboard boats that are overcrowded, potentially people unable to swim. They’re literally putting their lives at risk to make it across to Bangladesh,” said Evan Schuurman, a spokesman with aid agency Save the Children.

The military has been widely accused of conducting ethnic cleansing and genocide, but it has rejected all these allegations, saying it has only targeted Rohingya militants.

Other communities in Rakhine state such as Hindus have also been affected by violence, some allegedly committed by Rohingya militants. But correspondents say that the widespread reports of abuse of Rohingya indicate that they have been disproportionately affected.
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By: BBC

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Three other pupils were reported to be in a critical condition but are responding to treatment. The school is in the Asikuma Odoben-Brakwa District.

According to an eyewitness, there were visible cracks on the classroom building.

The Breman Asikuma District Director of the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice, (CHRAJ) Samuel Donkor spoke to Citi News after visiting the scene.

The building collapsed when a class was in session, killing four of the children on the spot.

The others died when they were being transported to the Breman Asikuma Our Lady of Grace Government Hospital.

The police, ambulance and the fire service were at the scene to aid in rescue attempts. The school has however not been closed down for the day, according to Mr. Donkor.

According to Mr. Donkor, he spoke to the headmaster of the school, who indicated that they were aware of the dilapidated state of the school building, for which the school’s  PTA decided to levy pupils to for repairs.

“He told me that at the last PTA meeting, they had decided to levy the children so that they will use the proceeds to renovate the place.”

Mr. Donkor further hinted that, CHRAJ may help the parents of the deceased and injured pupils to get some compensation from government.

“I left a message with the head teacher that if the parents come, they should tell them to come to the CHRAJ office so we assist them as to how they will get some compensation from the government,” he said.

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By: Akwesi Koranteng/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Speaking to Citi News, Mr. Apanga said some of the examination centres received their papers and logistics late due to transportation challenges.

He stated that “the vehicles that most the directors and heads of schools are using are very weak and that is our major problem and so we hope that we will continue to manage with these weak vehicles or transport to get the examinations over.”

He offered the explanation when officials of the Northern Regional Coordinating Directorate and Ghana Education Service on Tuesday toured the Ghana Senior High BECE centre in the Tamale Metropolis.

He explained the regional education forum was to ensure that BECE performance in the region improves to an appreciable level to get students to higher educational level and enhance the country’s human resource needs.

He noted that the strategies adopted are for all stakeholders to participate and know what activities that the pupils engage in at certain periods of time.

He also advised the students to take their studies serious by attending school and practicing what they are thought.

The Regional Director of Education said for equality and meaningful education to be achieved, there is the need for Parent Teachers Association (PTAs) and School Management Committees (SMCs) to be proactive and participate fully at the basic level to enhance community participation and ownership of their children’s education and support the teachers to be able to deliver effective teaching and learning.

He appealed to the district assemblies to reorganize the District education Oversight Committees to monitor the activities of the education sub-sector in the districts.

The Regional Coordinating Director, Alhaji Alhassan Issahaku on behalf of the Minister encouraged the pupils to put in their best.

He observed education was the bedrock for development and appealed to them to abide by the rules of examination.

By: Mashoud Kombat/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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More than 400,000 candidates are writing this year’s examinations that would qualify them for further studies at the Senior high schools.

In the Northern region, Abdul Karim Naatogmah reported that some of the examination centers could not begin at the slated time due to late arrival of papers.

“Unfortunately at some of the centers the examination started a bit late due to late arrival of examination materials,”Karim explained.

He further stated that the Tamale Presec Centre started at 9: 20am instead of 9am.

He said there had been no report of pregnant girls being chased away by any of the invigilators.

“I am yet to be informed of any candidate being rushed to the hospital,” he added.

Reporting from Kumasi, Hawa Iddrisu noted that some of candidates had started their papers when Citi News visited the school.

She noted that a total of 14 schools were present at the premises of Kumasi Armed Forces School to write.

She revealed that four girls were absent  at the Kumasi Anglican Senior High School Center.

Speaking to Citi News, the Kumasi Regional Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES) confirmed that there about 4 candidates who were not present for the examination but could not state why the girls did not write the examinations.

The Director of Education at Swedru, Mary Gillian Asare Addo also said the district was facing major challenges because most of the students were not present to write the examinations.

By: Marian Efe Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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Mr Samuel Oppong, Agona West Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) made this known when he addressed the first ordinary meeting of the  Assembly at Agona Swedru.

According to the MCE,  available statistics indicate that out of 2,182 candidates who sat for the examinations, only 848 candidates passed, representing 38.8 percent.

He attributed the poor results to teacher-absenteeism, and said this constituted  a major drawback on education delivery in the Municipality, and said the Municipal Educational Oversight Committee had put in place measures to reverse the situation.

Mr Oppong who is also the chairman of the Educational Oversight Committee, said the measures include teacher promotion, Best Teacher Award, institution of welfare services and sanctions on recalcitrant teachers.

He charged the Agona West Municipal Directorate of Education to work hard to promote education at the Junior High Schools (JHS).

The MCE said government was sinking millions of Ghana Cedis into education, and asked the teachers to work hard to reciprocate the gesture.

Mr Oppong said the Assembly in collaboration with the Agona West Municipal Health Directorate,  had put in place plans to educate the public against the spread of  communicable diseases.

On revenue, the MCE said the Assembly has put in place measures to improve revenue mobilization to improve the financial position of the Assembly.

Source: GNA

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