Investigate Bright SHS violence – Private Schools to GES

14th August 2020

The Ghana National Association of Private Schools has called for a thorough investigation into allegations of violence and exam malpractice at Bright SHS, a school in the Eastern Region.

The school and some of its staff are subjects of an investigation after an alleged plot to cheat in the ongoing WASSCE examination were busted.

The headteacher, Bright Amponsah was arrested for instigating attacks on an external invigilator and a journalist.

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Following the incident, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council has petitioned the Ministry of Education to close down the school.

But in an interview with www.ghanaweb.com, the President of the Ghana National Association of Private Schools, Damasus Tuurosong said due process must be followed before shutting down the schools.

He condemned the actions of the students and teachers but advised against hurriedly closing down the school.

He said the Ghana Education Service should conduct its own investigation into the matter and if the school is deserving of closing down, then it acts in that regard.

He declined to react to the directive by the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council but opined that all disciplinary procedures within the GES must be exhausted before a decision is taken on the matter.

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“No one supports whatever action taken by the school. All of us are concerned about student’s violence. We are concerned about having exams that fool-proof and conducted within WAEC rules and regulations. GNAPS as an association works towards clean conduct of examination but when you have an in disciplinary case of this nature the GES has disciplinary procedures.”

“What we are calling for is an institution of those procedures. Let the procedures run their full course. In every disciplinary procedure, the accused has a right of hearing and a right of response. So, let the proprietor appear before a well-constituted disciplinary committee to respond to whatever allegations. After the full haul of the procedure has been carried out, if he is found guilty, whatever recommendation is given by the committee can now be applied,” he said.