WASSCE riots: GES rescinds decision to ban 14 final students after President's directive

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has withdrawn its decision on some 14 final-year students to ban them from writing the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

GES sacks 14 final-year students

The Ghana Education Service has been highly criticized for its decision on some 14 final-year students identified in various videos that have gone viral on social media inciting and participating in vandalism on various school campuses after sitting for their first 2020 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

In a statement announcing the punitive measures, the GES said the sanctions are meant to deter others from such acts of vandalism.

President Nana Addo’s intervention

President Nana Akufo-Addo has directed the Minister of Education, Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh, “to engage the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reconsider its decision to ban some 14 dismissed final-year senior high school students.”

A statement signed by the Director of Communication at the Presidency, Mr. Eugene Arhin, said: “Even though the acts of indiscipline undertaken by these students are intolerable, acts which have led to their subsequent dismissal from school, President Akufo-Addo is of the firm belief that dismissal alone is enough punishment and would serve as enough deterrent against future acts of indiscipline.”

GES U-turn

The Director-General, Kwasi Opoku Amankwa in a statement said after a crunch meeting has said that the students will now be allowed entrance to the exams hall to write the rest of their papers.

“The under-listed students are permitted to write their WASSCE in their respective schools," the statement noted.