Executive Director of Africa Education Watch, Kofi Asare, has expressed deep concern over the shutdown of Bawku Senior High School following the fatal shooting of a student amid ongoing conflict in the area.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (28 July), Asare warned that the incident not only jeopardises the safety of students but also risks disrupting preparations for the upcoming West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
“With practicals starting this week or early next week, the situation makes it nearly impossible for WAEC to conduct the exam in a conflict environment,” he stated.
Asare outlined two potential solutions: either restore calm in time for students to safely sit the exams at Bawku SHS or relocate candidates to safer districts.
He dismissed online learning as an option, clarifying that the issue concerns assessment, not instruction. “WASSCE is a physical exam; candidates must be present at an accredited centre,” he emphasised.
He also ruled out postponing the exams for affected students, explaining that the magnitude of the national exam—with over 400,000 students participating—does not allow changes based on localised disruptions. Instead, he urged WAEC to activate its long-standing protocols for relocating candidates in crisis areas.
Turning to a broader concern, Asare highlighted a worrying trend of rising violence in Ghanaian secondary schools. “Since June last year, there’s been at least one report each month involving gun or knife violence in SHSs,” he said. He cited over 24 deaths in senior high schools since July 2024, many linked to gang or community-related violence.
He called for the establishment of police posts in all senior high schools, pointing to similar practices in other countries and arguing that with up to 5,000 students on some campuses, SHSs now function like mini-communities that need round-the-clock security.
“Security men wielding batons are not enough. It’s time for the Ghana Education Service, Ministry of Education, and the Police Administration to work together to ensure proper protection in our schools,” he said.
Asare stressed that the root of the Bawku conflict—and many others—lies in broken communities. “The best investment people in conflict areas can make is in human capital. Every time there’s conflict, it’s education and development that suffer first,” he said.
On the question of mental health, he called for psychological support for evacuated students, especially those expected to return to traumatised campuses.
He referenced Ghana’s education emergency protocols developed post-COVID, which recommend psychosocial interventions in cases of conflict-related evacuation.
“Without peace of mind, students cannot learn or write exams,” he noted, urging authorities to fully implement the support systems.
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