Africa Education Watch , popularly known as Eduwatch has described the death of 17 schoolchildren through drowning as unacceptable.
The non-profit advocacy organization has therefore called on the Ghana Education Service to collaborate with local authorities to find sustainable solutions to the problem regarding health and safety compliance.
“It is unacceptable that within a space of four months in only two districts, 17 poor children have lost their lives in their quest to claim their right to basic education.
“We reiterate our call on the Ghana Education Service, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection to develop a road map towards immediately providing life jackets for pupils and teachers in island communities, liaise with the relevant local authorities to strengthen health and safety compliance, and construct schools in island communities. Parliamentary oversight on this matter is very much required,” the organisation revealed.
Eduwatch also hinted that the GES is doing minimal in responding to such occurrences as their previous initiative towards drowning cases has yielded no positive results.
“On January 25, 2023, when a similar tragic incident happened in Atitagorme/Wayokope (Sene East) killing eight pupils, Eduwatch issued a statement requesting the Ministry of Education and the GES to urgently mobilise and supply life jackets to all pupils and teachers in island communities, while working to establish schools in these underserved island communities.”
“Rather, the GES supplied only 100 life jackets to Atitagorme and Wayokope, where the eight pupils had died, leaving the other island communities,” its report said.
BACKSTORY
Eduwatch’s commentary is in response to the tragic death of eight pupils on January 25, 2023 at Atitagorme/Wayokope in the Sene East District in the Bono East Region, and the recent drowning of nine other students on Wednesday, May 10, 2023 at Faanaa in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region.
Comments are closed.