Student protests: Understand culprits before passing judgment – Peace Council urges school athuorities

Emmanuella Adu Gyamfi
Emmanuella Adu Gyamfi
3 Min Read

The National Peace Council,  has advised school authorities to seek to understand students’ frustrations before condemning them.

His remarks are in response to the aftermath of Krobea Asante Technical and Vocational Institute students destroying school properties, including vehicles belonging to the school and teachers, food intended for them, instructional materials, and school infrastructure, in protest of the poor performance of their predecessors in the 2022 end of year examination.

On 2nd February 2023, the Asokore Mampong District Court granted the 43 rioting students of the Krobea Asante Vocational Training Institute a bail of two thousand cedis (Gh¢2,000) each with one surety to be justified by parents or guardians on charges of conspiracy to commit crime to wit, unlawful entry, unlawful damage, and stealing.

Speaking to UniversNews, the Deputy Director for Conflict Management and Resolution of the National Peace Council, Mr. Frank Wilson Bodza suggested that a mechanism should be put in place to solicit the ideas of the students in problem-solving.

According to him, students are discovering new things and want to put those ideas into practice so there should be a need for them to be heard out before passing judgement.

”What is happening is that they are growing, they are learning new things and they want to put them into practice. So psychologically engaging them, you don’t treat them as children who will just take instructions and leave it. In such a decision there is the need to engage them, particularly their grievances,”

Francis Wilson Bodza also suggested that the school management should engage with students regularly on issues pertaining to their interests to seek ways to effectively resolve the students’ challenges.

”What have been the existing problems in the school? How has the school management been able to resolve it for them? Are they satisfied with the resolution? If there are any challenges, how were they engaged.”

”So, it is appropriate for all of us, as Ghanaians, as leaders of school and as government to have a strategic way of engaging them. Open up to them and consult them. At times we need to engage them to seek their opinions on how to resolve issues.”

 

Story by:  Emanuella Adu Gyamfi | univers.ug.edu.gh

 

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