EVERY Ghanaian must be worried about the upsurge of students’ lawlessness, especially at the time that the government has rolled out the Free Senior High School policy, to put them on sound academic footing and make life bearable for their parents.
Last Friday, students of Atebubu Senior High School in the Brong-Ahafo Region vadalised a police patrol vehicle and injured some personnel of the Ghana Police Service. The police were said to have arrested some students from the school.
It is alleged that about 764 students contributed GH¢50 each to bribe the invigilators to let them have their way during their West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination. It has reported that the invigilators refused the bribe from the students and decided to report the matter to the police who picked up some of the students for questioning.
The refusal of the school authorities not to dabble in the examination malpractices angered the students, resulting in their open intransigence against school authorities and the attack on the police.
On Wednesday, students of Zabzugu Senior High School(SHS) in the Northern Region took their turn in this unenviable rampage after they allegedly attacked the headmaster of the school, destroying his personal property as well as public property that is yet to be quantified.
The cause of the disturbance at the Zabzugu SHS is not yet clear but it is believed to be as a result of what the students claimed to be disciplinary posture of the headmaster.
In all these disturbances, we have not heard from the side of the students; what has been put in the public domain only points fingers at the students as culprits. We need to hear from them!!
In asmuch as we do not condone acts of violence and indiscipline among our future leaders, we want to call for an investigation into the upsurge in students’ violence and disturbances in order to find lasting solutions and to restore calm.
It is very strange that students who are supposed to learn good deeds in their formative years to become worthy citizens, would attempt to bribe school authorities with such a colossal amount to engage in examination malpractices.
We ask, what are they learning in school? – Acts of bribery and corruption? What are the school authorities doing to disabuse the minds of the students that there is no short cut to life? Do the schools have counselling centres for counselling students?
We want to warn the students that they are toying with their future in these wanton acts of violence resulting in injuries and destruction of properties.
We believe this is the time for students to take up their academic work seriously and be thankful to the government for creating the enabling environment for them to unearth their potentials.
We urge the school authorities to open up efficient and effective channels of communications for the students to ventilate their grievances and also call on the students to follow lay down procedures in addressing their concerns Violence would not resolve the issues.
These students who have engaged in these acts of violence and lawlessness if found culpable should be made to forfeit their free SHS and the money used to fix the damages they have caused to life and properties. That perhaps would serve as deterrent to others who may want to follow in that wrong path.
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