GES must come clear on the Annor Adjaye students canning saga-HRRG

On Sunday 8th May 2022 which happened to be Mother's Day, teachers and some management members of the Annor Agyaye SHS decided to do the unthinkable by abusing unarmed students of the school. The offense for which the students were brutally caned and hurt by the teachers was because they were getting late for the Sunday morning service.

This abuse hinges on the violation of students' rights to freedom of worship and religion and at the same time on the need to obey school rules as students, however, the magnitude of the effort to correct the students was uncalled-for and the use of banned means of corrections which amounts to punishment is uncalled-for either. The offense of the students gathered so far points to being late for the Sunday morning church service.

The Director indicated in the latest interview that the act by the teachers was their first offense, however, HRRG is aware that one of the management members who is the head of academics inflicted cutlass wounds on a final-year student in 2020. This act which he led cannot be his first offense. The 2020 act is documented online (https://www.globaltipsgh.com/2020/07/breaking-news-senior-high-school.html).

From further investigations, the leadership of the school failed to follow guidelines for organizing entertainment programs for the students. The rules indicate such programs which will require day students to take part should not be held in the evening. However, the leadership organized an entertainment program for the students in the evening which closed late.

The students, therefore, could not wake up early as they used to, to get ready for church service. Does this warrant the "animalistic treatment meted out to the students? NO... The HRRG has questions for the GES. SOME QUESTIONS THAT THE GES MUST ANSWER TO CLEAR THE AIR AND CONVINCE DECERNING GHANAIANS

1. How many teachers were demoted? 2. From which position to position or ranks were they demoted from and to? 3. Why were some of the teachers sanctioned and not all? 4. When were they demoted or sanctioned. 5. What documents or letters can serve as proof of the actions taken by the GES? 6. Which sort of counseling were the victims (students) taken through?

7  . Who settled the hospital bills of the affected students who were treated and discharged according to the claims of the Western Regional Director of Education, Mad. Felicia Okai? When the video accompanying the said barbaric acts went viral, the Western Regional Director of Education, Mad. Felicia Okai during an interview on Angel FM and TV assured the public that the educators involved will be dealt with.

However, nearly two months after the incident the GES has failed to inform the public of actions it has taken as a form of sanction which would serve as a deterrent to like-minded professionals in the education sector. The Human Rights Reporters Ghana(HRRG), an NGO championing the fight against abuse of human rights infringements, and such matters are not convinced the GES has carried out the necessary sanctions given the magnitude of the act which has become a matter of public interest.

Sanctions it says it has taken do not bear names and have not been made public. The HRRG is of the view that since the inhumane treatment becomes public knowledge, the best way to keep stakeholders informed is to give them information on steps taken so far.

The HRRG is of the view that until it sees documents and indisputable proofs that the teachers who acted contrary to the GES code of conduct have been dealt with in line with the code, it will continue to believe nothing has been done and that the GES is shielding teachers involved which includes top management members of the school. The GES has disclosed some teachers have been demoted among other actions taken. "Many many more questions to answer in addition to the above to clear our minds out of doubt.

The GES must come out publicly on clear terms to help us put the matter to rest." The HRRG stated. "Information from our sources on the ground indicates that nothing has been done in terms of sanctions meted out to the teachers who misconducted themselves", The HRRG said during the interview on Angel FM on June 26, 2022. With the above information gathered, the HRRG is of the view that there's a possible attempt by the GES to shield the teachers from wrongdoing.

Source: HRRG