The Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Kwasi Opoku Amankwa led a delegation to commiserate with families of the nine students who got drowned in the Oti River at Saboba in the Northern Region.
Prof. Amankwa during the visit, expressed Managements deepest sympathies to the families. “I pray that the good Lord will grant you the formidable fortitude to bear the losses.” He said.
He pledged that GES will support and collaborative with professional psychologists and counsellors from both the Police Service and GES to help reduce the trauma and suffering of their parents, students of St Lwanga and the community at large.
A total amount of Ghc18,000 was given to the bereaved families as a token from the GES.
The unfortunate Incidence which claimed the lives of these nine students had thirty-one (31) students from St. Charles Lwanga Basic school onboard. These students had unfortunately been tasked by the Headmaster to work on his rice farm and were returning home on Friday 12th November, 2021.
Violation of GES Code of Conduct
This act by the Headmaster was a clear violation of section 3.7 of GES Professional Code of Conduct.
The GES Code of Conduct Section 3.7 (i) and (ii) states that;
(i) No employee shall subject a pupil/student to any form of exploitative labour.
(ii) A staff shall not use the labour of a pupil/student in any form whatsoever with or without the consent of the parent during contact hours.
As a result, Mr.Emmanuel Chingya, the headteacher, has been interdicted effective Monday ,15th November, 2021 pending investigation into the matter. He has been directed to hand over Administration and Management of the school to the District Director of Education.
The Director General seized the opportunity to caution teachers present to be mindful of the Code of professional conduct since the Service would not hesitate to apply the sanctions should they go against the code.
