Dr. Eric Nkansah, GES Director-General
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has dismissed eight students of the Chiana Senior High School in the Kassena-Nankana West District of the Upper East Region for making derogatory comments against President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The dismissal of the students follows an investigation into the case. Prior to the dismissal, the students had been on suspension.
Although the dismissal letters of the students were ready in November last year, management of the school waited till the reopening of school for the 2023 academic year before handing it over to them.
The GES, in the dismissal letter, which was addressed to parents of the students, described their conduct as very undesirable, and contrary to the acceptable standards of the conduct generally required of any student in Ghana’s educational system.
It will be recalled that the eight students, in a viral video, last year, were seen making disparaging comments against the President and his Free SHS policy.
Following their misconduct, the management of the GES at the national level, in a statement, condemned the act, and apologised to the President on behalf of the students, school and members of the public.
However, after extensive investigations into the conduct of the students, the Director General of the Ghana Education Service, Dr. Eric Nkansah, directed the dismissal of all eight students from the school.
The GES admonished the students to use the dismissal as “a major turning point” in their lives “to bring the desired change in behaviour and attitude towards life.”
Plea for clemency
Meanwhile, the affected students together with their parents have asked for clemency, and pleaded with President Nana Akufo-Addo to immediately intervene to enable the GES to rescind the decision.
In a remorseful video, the affected students, in turns, said they did not know what influenced them to engage in such an unruly act to denigrate the President.
According to them, they are deeply sorry, and that in hindsight they had regretted what they did, saying “we plead with President Akufo-Addo and the GES to give us a second chance as we would be of good behaviour”.
They said “most of us are from poor homes with single parents who do not have money to register them for the private WASSCE examinations now as they are currently in final year students “.
Pleading guilty
Reports say reacting to the dismissal, a parent, Martin Asiabono Akeleyiira, said although his daughter and her colleagues were guilty of the offence, he was surprised and taken aback that the students were outrightly dismissed.
He said: “I thought management of the GES would tamper justice with mercy, and not sack them, but rather offer them a punishment to do to prevent them from repeating such a misconduct in future.”
On behalf of the other parents, he pleaded with President Akufo-Addo to immediately intervene since the dismissal of the students could negatively affect their future development.
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