The Northern, North East and Savannah Regional Chapters of the Northern Network for Educational Development (NNED) has lauded the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for showing leadership following the dismissals of the eight students of Chiana Senior High School.

The eight students of the school were dismissed by the Ghana Education Service (GES) for using some unprintable words against the president in 2022 in a viral video.

However, the GES on Friday January 13, 2023, made a U-turn and referred the matter to the disciplinary committee of the school after the President’s intervention.

In a statement issued by NNED, it said, “The Northern, North East and Savannah Regional Chapters of the Northern Network for Educational Development (NNED) have taken note of the intervention by H.E President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo regarding the dismissal of the 8 female students of the Chiana Senior High School in the Kassena-Nankana District of the Upper East Region by the Ghana Education Service (GES). We welcome the intervention by the President and laud him for showing leadership and good heart in this issue that threatened the education of the eight (8)Senior High School students”.

The statement condemned the actions of the students and advised them to be decorous in their future dealings.

“We are of the firm belief that young people and students for that matter, have every right to speak truth to power and contribute to discourse on national issues. However, we believe that in making such view known, there is the need to be measured and decorous. Being decorous in our utterances goes for all, young and old and in particular, to our political class.  We condemn the unprintable utterances of the 8 students and thus use this opportunity to remind everyone that freedom of speech is not absolute, as there exist limitations and legal ramifications despite the repeal of the criminal libel law in 2001,” the statement admonished.

NNED further suggested that Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) is introduced in the various schools to transform students.

“We use this opportunity to reiterate the need for the introduction of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in our schools whiles also strengthening the Guidance and Counselling Units in our schools,” it opined.

Read below NNED’s full statement

STATEMENT BY THE NORTHERN, NORTHEAST AND SAVANNAH REGIONAL CHAPTERS OF THE NORTHERN NETWORK FOR EDUCATIONAL DEVELOPMENT (NNED) ON THE DISMISSAL OF 8 CHIANA SHS STUDENTS

The Northern, North East and Savannah Regional Chapters of the Northern Network for Educational Development (NNED) have taken note of the intervention by H.E President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo regarding the dismissal of the 8 female students of the Chiana Senior High School in the Kassena-Nankana District of the Upper East Region by the Ghana Education Service (GES). We welcome the intervention by the President and laud him for showing leadership and good heart in this issue that threatened the education of the eight (8)Senior High School students.

A statement by the Ghana Education Service on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 concluded that the acts by the students contravened “acceptable standards of conduct” required in Ghana’s educational system and therefore warranted the dismissal of the students. The GES, in our view, was immoderate in outrightly dismissing the students. The President’s call for the application of alternative disciplinary action instead of outright dismissal, speaks of the need for reflections on the re(formative) function of education and how this role has been executed over the years.

We are of the firm belief that young people and students for that matter, have every right to speak truth to power and contribute to discourse on national issues. However, we believe that in making such view known, there is the need to be measured and decorous. Being decorous in our utterances goes for all, young and old and in particular, to our political class. We condemn the unprintable utterances of the 8 students and thus use this opportunity to remind everyone that freedom of speech is not absolute, as there exist limitations and legal ramifications despite the repeal of the criminal libel law in 2001.

In our view, the act by the students exposes the weak supervision in our second cycle educational institutions by school authorities, especially on the part of teachers and management committees who have direct oversight responsibility of the schools. We believe that if authorities at the Chiana SHS had been diligent and up to the task, these students would not have had the chance to use unauthorised gadgets (mobile phones) in the school to record themselves and share same on social media.

We use this opportunity to reiterate the need for the introduction of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in our schools whiles also strengthening the Guidance and Counselling Units in our schools.

Savana Signatures (Lead Agency for NNED in the Northern, North East and Savannah Regions).

The Northern Network for Educational Development (NNED), is a network of education focused civil society organisations in Northern Ghana, working together to address challenges to educational development and to ensure that the Education For All (EFA) commitments are fulfilled in northern Ghana.

Signed

Stephen Agbenyo

Executive Director