Students of Hark Mount Sinai Senior High School and Okuapeman Senior High School in the Akuapem North Municipality of the Eastern Region have been ordered to leave their campuses following violent clashes that left school property destroyed and at least some students and a police officer injured.
The directive was issued by the Eastern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) on Wednesday after students from the two schools reportedly clashed the previous night, throwing stones at each other and setting parts of the school facilities on fire.
At Okuapeman SHS, classrooms, a storeroom, toilet facilities and furniture were reportedly burnt, while Hark Mount Sinai SHS also suffered an arson attack on its storeroom and toilet facility.
The Eastern Regional Security Council, led by Regional Minister Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, visited both schools on Wednesday to assess the damage and help restore calm.
The delegation included the Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Owusu Bempah, Regional Liaison Officer of the National Security Secretariat, Francis Annor Dompreh, and Regional Education Director Dr Mrs Ivy Owusu Asantewaa, alongside other security and education officials.
Addressing students, Minister Awatey described the incident as deeply troubling and questioned the conduct of students who are being prepared to become future leaders.
“We Are Building a Nation, Not Destroying One’.It is a very sad note. This is not what we are looking for from you,” she said.
She expressed concern over reports that students resorted to stone-throwing and retaliatory attacks rather than allowing school authorities and security agencies to intervene.
The Minister also linked the destruction to government’s ongoing investment in educational infrastructure, including efforts to end the double-track system.
“Now that government is making sure we build the infrastructure that will take care of you so that the double track stops and we have single track, this is what you have decided to do,” she stated.
She added: “We are building a nation; we are not destroying a nation. We are resetting our schools and resetting you students too.”
REGSEC subsequently directed all students to vacate the two campuses as investigations continue. The Minister warned that students identified as being behind the violence would face the consequences.
“Investigations are going on. Those who started throwing the stones here, both here and Okuapeman, we are not going to allow you to go scot-free,” she warned.
Students were advised to return peacefully to their homes after being released by school authorities and to avoid any further confrontation.
The Eastern Regional Police Commander, DCOP Owusu Bempah, stressed that students would not be shielded from the law if they engaged in criminal conduct.
“If you decide to be unruly, your headmaster and the staff cannot take care of you. They cannot handle the situation,” he said.
He warned that police would identify those believed to have led the disturbances.
“We cannot arrest the entire school, but we know the ringleaders. We will look for the ringleaders, and it’s a promise from me: we will prosecute you,” DCOP Bempah stated.
He also cautioned students against attacking police officers deployed to maintain order.
“Attack on a policeman is a criminal offence,” he said, adding that being a student does not place anyone above the law.
The Regional Education Director, Dr Mrs Ivy Owusu Asantewaa, similarly urged students to leave the campuses peacefully and use the incident as a lesson in responsible conduct.
“Do your academic work, be morally upright and make sure you fit into society,” she advised.
She also cautioned students against remaining around the schools after the evacuation or attempting to reignite the disturbances.
The temporary closure of Hark Mount Sinai SHS and Okuapeman SHS, coming a day before the scheduled vacation period, is expected to give security and education authorities time to restore calm, assess the extent of the damage and investigate the cause of the clashes.
REGSEC has indicated that students or other individuals found to have played key roles in the violence including the burning and destruction of property and attacks on security personnel could face prosecution.
