Make public sanctions for Annor Adjaye teachers who mercilessly flogged students -HRRG

The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) and the Action by Christians Against Torture (ACAT) Ghana in a joint statement released on Sunday, June 26, have unequivocally demanded justice for the students of the Annor Adjaye SHS located at Ezilibo in Jomoro district of the Western Region of Ghana who were mercilessly flogged by their teachers for getting late for church service on Mothers Day.

The Human Rights Reporters Ghana (HRRG) received a distress message showing severe body harm inflicted on students by teachers of Annor Adjaye Senior High School, a public SHS located in the Jomoro Municipality, located in the Southwestern part of the Western Region of Ghana.

The current call by HRRG and ACAT Ghana is part of efforts to commemorate this year’s International Day in Support of Victims of Torture and equally seek justice for the 19 final-year-students of Annor Adjaye SHS who were mercilessly flogged by their teachers leaving visible marks and inflicted cane wounds on their bodies.

The HRRG together with ACAT Ghana are appealing to the authorities to be quick in arresting culprits of torture on any Ghanaian irrespective of his or her affiliation.

In an interview on Angel TV and FM, today, June 27 2022, the Executive Director of Human Rights Reporters Ghana who doubles as the Co-convenor of the CSOs Platform on SDGs Youth sub-platform in Ghana, Mr. Joseph Wemakor called for justice for students who were tortured in the name of punishment on Mother’s Day.

He indicated that for nearly two months after the sad incident happened, nothing seems to have been done about the issue. 

He said the students did not deserve the kind of treatment meted out to them by their teachers and that amounts to torture irrespective of whether it inflicts pain or not.

“The magnitude of punishment was sad. Brute canning is common in the school, according to the students.” Mr. Wemakor indicated. 

This particular incident blew out of proportion and led to the video that proved the occurrence of the brute canning.

The Western Regional Director of Education, Madam Felician Okai while reacting to the incident about a month ago promised the teachers who inflicted the cane wounds on the students will be punished.

Mr. Wemakor wanted to know what had happened and furthered that nothing has actually been done and that the HRRG expects the GES to make public actions taken as far as the finality of the matter was concerned.

He disclosed that some teachers of the school are calling the efforts of the HRRG a bluff.  According to him, there seems to be a deliberate attempt to shield the teachers. 

The Western Regional Director of Education, Madam Felician Okai was quizzed during the interview through a phone call. According to her, they completed investigations and sent the report to Accra.

“There were just some bruises suffered by the students who were treated and released and teachers were demoted including the entertainment teacher”. 

“Sometimes we condemn things that we are not part of, when students were stoning teachers they knew it was against the rules, so they used the cane, but the teachers were made to know the action was wrong due to the GES policy on corporal punishment”.

She added that the teachers were relieved of their position as first-time offenders.

This action according to the account she gave led to another problem as the teachers were not ready to perform their legal obligations, they were not ready to lead the students, discipline, or any other duties. 

However, she went to the school to discuss the issue to ensure students are not left on their own. 

The teachers according to her report felt the actions taken such as demotion were not fair.

She asserted that every institution has its own codes and sanctions. When people behave, if people behave as though they know more than the institution …”

However, the panel did not agree with her viewpoint that the injury suffered by the students were mere bruises and that some people are behaving as though they know better than the institution. 

Mr. Wemakor said the posture of the GES  on the matter was disturbing and the fact that the issue has attracted both national and international attention. “State institutions are failing us and making our work very difficult, The HRRG boss stated. 

The Angel TV host added that the GES should have come out with a press release to outline their findings and the actions taken to keep stakeholders updated on the development since the matter is of public interest.

Source: Ghana Education News