'Adisadel students dismissal inappropriate; rescind your decision and reinstate them'— CRI

Child Rights International Ghana (CRIG) is calling on the management of Adisadel College and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to reverse its decision to suspend students who were involved in an altercation.

According to CRI, there was insufficient scrutiny of the procedure that led to their suspension.

CRI said, “in accordance with the Children’s Act, when children exhibit behavioral abnormalities it is expected that proper assessment should be conducted.”

“The alleged act committed is criminal in nature and the institution must address the criminality of it based on a proper investigation to obtain a social enquiry report that will determine the kind of systems and the punishment regime to be offered to the parties involved.

“The parties may include the victim, the perpetrator, and non-participating students who encouraged the act and those who have been entrusted with a standard of care.

“Despite the undeniable role the Ghana Education Service (GES) plays in this case, it is our view that the decision to dismiss the students is not informed by appropriate investigative channels and a social enquiry report.

“Therefore GES must rescind their decision and reinstate the students in the school unless their presence poses extreme threat to other students and such removal must be in accordance with Section 2 (1), (2), 8 (1).& 18 (1), (m) & (n) of the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560). Any decision taken in this process must always have the best interest of the CHILD,” CRI stated.

A disturbing footage of an assault incident at Adisadel College has sparked public outrage.

The situation involved a final-year student captured being brutally assaulted by his mate.

Authorities of the school have taken swift action against the individuals involved with backing from GES.

According to a statement from the school authority, the student who assaulted his colleague is outrightly dismissed from the school.

He will not be allowed to write his WASSCE exams in the school, except to write it at the WAEC centre.

The assaulted student is also suspended for failing to report the incident to the authorities.