GNAT lauds jailing of 2 over assault on St. John’s teachers

The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), has welcomed the sentencing of the suspects found to have assaulted some teachers of the St. John's Primary 1 & 2 School at Accra Newtown.

Two of the men accused of assaulting the teachers have been jailed 12 months with hard labour, and the female pupil at the center of the controversy, is expected to be sentenced at the Juvenile Court on Thursday.

In a Citi News interview, the Greater Accra Regional Chairman of GNAT, Johnny Akpakli, expressed his gratitude to the court and the police for a good work done.

“We are very happy about the sentencing. We want to thank the police for a very good job as well as the court system, we believe that the court system is good. Punishment must be given to those who break the law,” he said.

Why the teachers were assaulted
The teachers, all females, were assaulted by thugs who invaded the school after a class five pupil was reported to have called in the thugs after she was punished by her teacher for a misdemeanor.

The student left the classroom after the punishment only to return about 20 minutes later with the thugs, reportedly wielding knives, who attacked the female teachers.

The school was subsequently shut down for a few days and the victims of the attack transferred by the Ghana Education Service (GES).

Teachers have pupils’ best interests
Seeing as the assault stemmed from an attempt by teachers to discipline the class five pupil, Mr. Akpakli assured parents that, teachers always had the best interests of the children at heart.

“We are pleading with parents to know that teachers are there to mold their children, to bring up the child the way we want the child to be in the future so no teacher will molest the child in the classroom.”

By: Kuukua Buahin/citifmonline.com/Ghana