The Headmaster of the Ghana Senior High School (Ghanasco) in Tamale, Mahama Douglas and the Housemaster of the school, have been suspended indefinitely by the Ghana Education Service (GES).
The suspension of the two follows an allegation that toilet cubicles have been turned into dormitory for students in the school.
A viral video circulating on social media showed some students of the Ghana Senior High School in Tamale in the Northern region using toilet cubicles as dormitories.
The Students were captured on camera lamenting about the current state of their health as they are left with no other option than to resort to open defecation since their washrooms have been turned to dorms.
“… we just sit at the back here to eat and the flies (from where we ease ourselves) will be disturbing us. Sometimes when the wind is too much it blows the breeze here and the scent is unbearable.
“As am standing here, I was sick just last Friday … I was diagnosed with typhoid and malaria,” a student narrated his ordeal.
A statement issued by the Ghana Education Service (GES) and signed by the Head of Public Relations Unit, Cassandra Twum Ampofo read “The Headmaster and Senior housemaster have been directed to step aside to allow for further investigations into the matter by the Regional Director of Education and report back in two weeks.”
The Ghana Education Service (GES), however has expressed shock that the school is facing capacity challenges adding that out of the 1,790 vacancies declared by the school, 1,467 students were enrolled.
“The school is expected to have excess capacity to even house extra 300 students. It is thus, unacceptable to have students sleep in such a place.”
The Ghana Education Service (GES), assured all stakeholders and the general public that it will continue to ensure that the students entrusted in their care operate in a safe school environment.
Meanwhile , the Headmaster, Mahama Douglas, in an interview with DGN Online said he was unaware of the situation and that he was assigned to the school recently.
FROM Eric Kombat, Tamale