Dismissing 8 Chiana SHS students is like killing mosquitoes with a sledge hammer -HRRG

The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) has described as harsh the decision by the Ghana Education Service to dismiss 8 Chiana SHS students who used vulgar and unprintable words on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2022.

The HRRG added that dismissing the 8 Chiana SHS students could be described as the GES like killing mosquitoes with a sledgehammer.

In a press release by the HRRG which has been championing human right issues in Ghana, it called on the GES to temper justice with mercy. It added that “the decision to dismiss the students is too harsh and does not meet the changing trends in corrective decisions in school behaviour management. It is like killing mosquitoes with a sledgehammer. These students should not be dismissed.”

“The HRRG believes the kind of corrective approach used by the GES  has the tendency to destroy the future of the students and derail their academic pursuits. It also goes contrary to the spirit and letter of the 1992 constitution which requires all and sundry to enjoy the right to education including these learners whose actions we condemn. ”

Below is the full press release

SACKING 8 CHIANA SHS STUDENTS, DENYING THEM THEIR RIGHT TO EDUCATION TOO HARSH AND UNCONSTITUTIONAL

The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) has received with shock the decision by the GES to dismiss 8 Chiana SHS students who went viral after spewing vulgar and unprintable words on President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2022.

As a human rights group, our position on the decision by the Dr Eric Nkansah-led GES is that the decision to dismiss the students is too harsh and does not meet the changing trends in corrective decisions in school behaviour management. It is like killing mosquitoes with a sledgehammer. These students should not be dismissed.

The HRRG believes the kind of corrective approach used by the GES  has the tendency to destroy the future of the students and derail their academic pursuit. It also goes contrary to the spirit and letter of the 1992 constitution which requires all and sundry to enjoy the right to education including these learners whose actions we condemn. The corrective options available to the GES should not have included the punitive decision to dismiss these young lives and put them through the rather sad emotional stress which is not good for their health and wellbeing.

The HRRG expected the government and the two education-focused institutions of state to place a stronger emphasis on counselling and moral values systems and programmes in our secondary schools to further enlighten students on what constitutes acceptable behaviour. This unacceptable behaviour of the learners empower the GES to tap into the positives in these leaners and make them change leaders or behaviour change champions.

We further call on the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service to deploy more modern, useful, and forward-looking approaches to dealing with such issues. The GES should temper justice with mercy in this case and bring these learners back to school.

Thank you.

Signed

Joseph Wemakor

Executive Director

Tel: 0243676813

Wisdom Hammond

Programmes Director

Tel: 0550360658

Written by Ghana Education News Editorial Staff

The Ghana Education News Editorial Staff is comprised of seasoned education consultants, policy analysts, and verified journalists dedicated to providing accurate, timely, and credible updates on the Ghanaian GES curriculum, WAEC updates, and academic leadership.