The academic future of final-year and second-year students of Obuasi Senior High and Technical School (SHTS) remains uncertain, as the school has stayed closed to continuing students for nearly three months following a student riot in August.
The school was shut down on August 5 after the municipal assembly ordered its closure following a disturbance in which students reportedly attacked the headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, amid allegations of sexual abuse involving female students.
Despite the start of the new academic calendar for senior high schools, academic activities at Obuasi SHTS have yet to resume for continuing students.
JoyNews checks in the gold-mining town found some students helping with domestic chores, while others were seen engaging in trading activities or spending time on the streets, with no clear indication of when they would return to the classroom.
Concern over lost instructional time
President of the Concerned Citizens of Adansi, Anthony Coffie, has expressed concern about the prolonged closure and called for urgent steps to get students back to school.
He said the situation was particularly worrying for final-year students who should be preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
“The situation is particularly alarming for Form Three students, who should be preparing intensively for their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). The loss of valuable instructional time threatens their examination preparation and academic prospects,” he said.
Mr Coffie argued that students should not bear the consequences of what he described as an administrative crisis, stressing that their education must remain a priority.
“Our children must not become collateral victims of an administrative crisis. Their right to education and their prospects for academic success must not be sacrificed while the relevant authorities deliberate over the issues surrounding the school,” he said.
Appeal to traditional and government authorities
The group is appealing to the Adansihene to engage the government, the Minister for Education and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to facilitate the school’s reopening.
Mr Coffie wants the relevant authorities to put in place immediate and practical measures to restore academic activities while ensuring the safety of students and staff.
The closure follows a separate controversy surrounding allegations of sexual abuse involving female students and the headmaster. The allegations remain subject to investigation and should not be treated as established findings.
The prolonged shutdown has raised concerns about the amount of instructional time students may lose and the potential effect on their preparation for examinations, particularly those in their final year.