President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has asked the Ghana Education Service to reconsider its decision, dismissing eight female students of the Chiana Senior High School in the Kassena Nankana West District in the Upper East Region.
The girls were dismissed in November last year for insulting President Akufo-Addo over economic hardship.
There have been mixed reactions to the decision by the GES to remove the girls from school.
But Newstibits.com is learning that President Akufo-Addo met stakeholders on Thursday when his attention was drawn to the issue.
The president consequently tasked the Education Minister, Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum to takeover the case and to “consider an alternative disciplinary action instead of dismissal”.
Background
The 8 affected students in a widely circulated video misconducted themselves and used vulgar and unprintable words which were directed at President Akufo-Addo in November 2022.
Subsequently, the students were identified and suspended and their parents were also invited to assist in investigations to unravel the circumstances surrounding the unfortunate utterances and gestures of the students.
The Ghana Education Service after citing the unfortunate video issued a release dated November 12, 2022, condemning the act which it described as being against every educational and moral principle in the society.
The GES further assured the public that the outcome of the investigations into the incident would be made public as soon as it is concluded.
Dismissal letter
The dismissal letters of the students were ready in November last year but the management of the school waited till the reopening of school for the 2023 academic year before handing it over to them.
On Wednesday, January 11, 2023, the affected students and their parents were invited to the school during which the dismissal letters were handed over to them.
The dismissal letter signed by the Director-General of the GES, Dr Eric Nkansah dated November 29, 2022 and addressed to a parent of one of the affected students, said management of the GES has given approval for your dismissal with immediate effect to serve as a deterrent to other students.
“This is in view of your involvement in misconducting yourself by making derogatory comments in a video that went viral, a conduct considered very undesirable and contrary to the acceptable standards of conduct generally required of any student in our educational system in Ghana,” the letter reads.
“Your ward is therefore requested to properly hand over any school property in her possession to the headmistress in the school before leaving”.
“It is expected that your ward will use this as a major turning point in her life to bring the desired change in her behaviour and attitude towards life”.