Over 100 final year students of the Sekondi College in the Western Region were on Monday evening left stranded for close to three hours at the school’s main gate.
The students, most of whom had come from outside the Region, were seen with their personal effects lined up at the school’s entrance.
When 3news.com got to the school at 8:00pm, some of the students had gathered in groups with frustration on their faces and complaining.
According to the students, the security men at the main gate told them they have been instructed by the Headmistress not to allow any student in after 5:00pm.
“I’m coming from Sefwi. I got here at about 5:15pm. I came to meet four of my colleagues from Kasoa and Tarkwa. They told me the security men stopped them from entering. Because of what they told me I did not bother to try and enter. I joined them and we have been standing here since that time.”
One female student, who was visibly shaken, said she is afraid because of recent kidnappings in Sekondi-Takoradi.
“Some of my friends have left for town with their bags. I don’t know anyone here so what I intend to do is to get very close to the gate when it gets very late”.
Daniel Nii Nortey, whose brother was among the students, told 3news.com that he received a distress call from his brother about the situation.
“When I came, it was not a pleasant scene. I saw a number of female students and I was very angry. Some of them had come from Enchi, Sefwi and other far away places. Some of them told me they were not aware of any announcement that they should not come to school after 5pm. But let’s put that aside, no matter what, they have come to school and so allow them after if there is any punishment, that should be later.”
After several calls to certain “high figures” in Sekondi-Takoradi, the gate was finally opened for the students.
In the presence of 3news.com, a concerned resident, Ali Issah, called the Municipal Chief Executive for Effia-Kwesimintsim, Kojo Acquah, minutes after which the main gate was opened.
“I was at home and I heard that there was some drama at Sekco and so I rushed to see the situation. When I came, I saw a lot of kids standing at the gate. When I asked the students, they told me the headmistress has refused to allow them to enter. So, I called the EKMA Boss Hon. Kojo Acquah for him to call the Regional Director of Education and the headmistress. She denied that there were students here. So Kojo Acquah called me again and I made him speak to some of the students. He then called the headmistress back before we saw that the security men have opened the gate and asking the students to enter.”
Before long, Deputy Headmaster Kinsley Yankey came around and ushered the students in.
A desk was quickly set up to take the students through the health protocols.
Several minutes later, the vehicle of the Western Region Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Addo Dankwah Akuffo, pulled into the school’s compound, had a brief interaction with the Deputy Headmaster before driving away.
When 3news.com approached Mr Yankey for an interview, he declined saying it is only the headmistress who is mandated to speak to the press.
At about 8:50pm when 3news.com was leaving the campus the last student, a female, was on her way to her dormitory.
By Eric Yaw Adjei|3news.com|Ghana