Adisadel College saga: Child Rights want psychological help for students, GES, Police probe

Child Right International, an NGO is proposing more Mental Health Support and Counseling for the Students involved in bullying at the Adisadel College as a holistic solution to the case of bullying by students.

In an interview in Accra, Bright Appiah Executive Director of the Child Centered NGO said the environment in which the issue occured must also be examined to determine if indeed it provided the room for nurturing the behaviour.

He said punishment may be right but it is important to have a social case report on the issue and evaluate the actual circumstances surrounding the outcome, because, ”bullying may have been happening, but this particular one went overboard”, and must be nibed in the bud.

Above all, ”steps taken to remedy the situation, must be in the best interest of the Child”.

Ministry of Education investigates:

Meanwhile, the Public Relations Officer at the Ministry of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng says the Ministry has commenced investigations into the viral video showing violence between two students of Adisadel College to ascertain what sparked the incident. Mr Kwarteng, who condemned the unfortunate incident, added that ”those involved will be dealt with accordingly”.

GES on Punishments:

General Secretary of the Council of PTA’s Ralph Gapson says the GES Policy that cancels all forms of punishments in schools must be given another look. This is because the policy only applies to teachers and not students. Mr Gapson said the development at Adisadel college where a student was abused by another is ”an indication that indiscipline is happening at the blind side of school authorities especially in model schools where the standards are supposed to be high”.

Mr Gapson said counselling units at the various schools that are supposed to assist victims of abuse are not being operated by the schools, a situation he described as ”appalling”.

Police Investigates:

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has however directed the Central Regional Director of Education to work with the relevant law enforcement agency to investigate the Adisadel College assault case for appropriate action. The GES Condemned and described the case of assault at the Adisadel College as a “barbaric act of violence” which must not be encouraged in schools.

The GES expressed concern over the “disturbing video” and assured the public of its resolve to deal with the matter decisively.

The GES in a statement signed by the Head of Public Relations Unit, Madam Cassandra Twum Ampofo, said it is committed to ensuring a safe and secure learning environment for all students across the country. An incident of assault at the Adisadel College has gone viral after it was captured on tape by a student.

The video shows a student strangling another , believed to be his junior, from behind in a dormitory before smashing his face against a metal bed. The incident, which happened in the presence of some other students, some of whom cheered the culprit on, resulted in a huge swell and a cut on the cheek of the victim.

The school has since suspended the offending student pending investigation, a move which has been commended by the GES.