Awe SHS Closed Indefinitely After Students Riot Over Suspected Intruder in Girls’ Dormitory
Awe Senior High School in the Kassena-Nankana Municipality has been shut down indefinitely after a violent student riot broke out when a suspected intruder was arrested near the girls’ dormitory.
The incident, which occurred on Friday evening around 7 p.m., has triggered widespread concern about campus security, student discipline, and the rising trend of school-related violence in Ghana.
Suspected intruder caught by cadet corps
According to Headmaster Rev. Atanga Augustine, the chaos began after an unidentified man—believed by students to be the mysterious figure who had allegedly been sneaking into the girls’ dormitory—was spotted on campus once again.
The school’s cadet corps pursued and apprehended him after he reportedly scaled the school’s wall. However, instead of calming tensions, the arrest sparked massive unrest.
Students attempt mob justice, clash with police
Students reportedly attempted to take matters into their own hands and beat the suspect, forcing teachers to intervene. When police officers moved the suspect into a vehicle to take him into custody, students became violent.
Eyewitnesses say learners pelted stones at the police vehicle, demanding that the suspect be handed over to them.
The situation spiraled into full-scale rioting within minutes.
School property destroyed, buildings targeted
Rev. Atanga described the scene as “devastating and traumatic.”
Students allegedly:
vandalised classrooms and offices
attempted to set the Headmaster’s bungalow ablaze
disconnected power supply
looted the school’s food stores
burned a housemaster’s tricycle
broke into the girls’ dormitory and stole money and personal belongings
The unrest left several sections of the campus severely damaged, prompting authorities to call for immediate closure.
Female student injured during chaos
During the disturbances, one female student was hit in the head by a stone thrown by her colleagues. The Headmaster rushed her to the hospital as violence continued to unfold across the school compound.
School shut down; investigations launched
“With the level of destruction, it was impossible to keep students on campus,” Rev. Atanga noted, adding that the school will remain closed until investigations are concluded.
A committee has been set up to determine:
what triggered the riot,
whether the intruder acted alone,
and if external influences contributed to the unrest.
Meanwhile, management assured parents—especially those of final-year students—that measures are in place to ensure WASSCE registration deadlines are met despite the shutdown.
The Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service (GES) are expected to release further directives as the situation develops.