Kwahu Ridge Senior High School Closed Down

Obo-Kwahu (E/R), Oct. 6, GNA - The Eastern Regional Director of Education, Mrs Rene Boakye-Boateng, has ordered the indefinite closure of the Kwahu Ridge Senior High School at Obo, in the Kwahu South District, following a three-day demonstration by the students demanding the removal of the headmistress of the school, Ms Anita Jackson. The students have also expressed their anger at the deplorable condition of the school dormitories, dinning hall and Science laboratory.

All the over 400 students have subsequently been sent home while the Police are maintaining security at the school. Speaking to Ghana News Agency in an interview, the acting District Director of Education, Mr Noah Dwamena, said the students embarked on a three-day demonstration and refused to attend classes and take their meals.

They also walked from Obo to Mpraeso, a distance of over three kilometres, to present their petition to the Kwahu South District Director of Education and the District Chief Executive. He said last Thursday, the students refused to eat their morning and afternoon meals of rice porridge and gari and beans which were served at the dinning hall and poured the food at the main gate of the headmistress' bungalow.

Mr Dwamena, who is also the Kwahu West Municipal Director of Education, said several efforts were made by key decision-makers to get the students to rescind their decision and attend classes while they waited for an investigation into their grievances but they refused. Those who intervened include the Eastern Regional Inspector of Schools, Mr John Pratt, the District Chief Executive, Mr Joseph Omari, the Board of Directors of the School, the MP for Mpraeso, Mr Seth Acheampong and the Chief of Obo, Nana Yeboah Afari Buagyan. He said law and order in the school had broken down because only one tutor was staying on the school compound to control the students. The students left the school at will while others shouted and sang throughout the night. No property was, however, destroyed. Mr Dwamena appealed to parents to ensure that their wards reach home since the school has been closed down indefinitely. According to the Boy's prefect, Master Benjamin Boateng, the Student's Representative Council (SRC) met on September 25 and presented their grievances to the headmistress through its secretary but the headmistress later called the SRC President and warned him to be careful otherwise he would be sacked from the school.

He mentioned some of their grievances as their payment for some physical education kits and house dresses, they had not received, leakages at both boys and girls dormitories and Science laboratory. They also take their meals under a shed instead of a dinning hall. The school prefect said though feeding fees had been increased there were no changes in quality and quantity of the meals.