The authorities of the Ghana National College in Cape Coast have pledged their commitment to cooperate with investigations to ensure justice for all parties in respect of the death of a final-year student of the school.
The Headmaster of the school, Ato Sarpong, told the Daily Graphic that his report on the incident had been submitted to the regional directorate of education for onward submission to the headquarters.
He said the school was ready to assist the authorities in further investigations, and expressed condolences to the bereaved family.
Call for justice
The family of 18-year-old Theophilus Ansah is seeking justice for what they describe as negligence on the part of the school authorities that led to the demise of the student.
The third-year Science student of the Afedu House died at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital on Saturday, July 6, 2024, after he was referred from the Ewim Polyclinic.
Ansah was referred to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital Intensive Care Unit on Wednesday, July 3, 2024, but died on July 6, 2024.
Press conference
Giving a chronological presentation of events at a news conference in Cape Coast on Friday, July 19, the spokesperson of the family, Lucy Quainoo, said on Friday, June 28, 2024, Ansah called his mother that he was not well.
She said his mother told him to go to the infirmary, but the boy called back and told the mother that there was nobody at the infirmary to attend to him.
Ms Quainoo said his mother sent him money through one Mr Alhassan to buy medicine and to come home from school, but the boy said he had a mock exam the following Monday so he would not like to leave school.
She said on Monday, July 1, 2024, a student called his mother that during the writing of the mock exam, Ansah vomited continuously but no invigilator bothered to ask him what was wrong.
The spokesperson further stated that around 6:20 p.m. of the same day, the parent received a call from a student that Ansah had become very weak.
Ms Quainoo said the parent, therefore, called the supposed Mr Alhassan, a senior labourer at the school, to inform Ansah’s Housemaster to send him to the hospital, while she was on her way from Tarkwa.
The Housemaster was said to have released the student to the said Mr Alhassan on behalf of the parent to be sent to the Ewim Polyclinic in Cape Coast.
Ms Quainoo said nobody from the school management checked on the boy for the three days the Housemaster released him to be sent to the hospital.
The spokesperson said Ansah’s father had to call the Parents Association (PA) Chairman to question the Headmaster on the incident.
She said the Headmaster instead called the father of the student to complain about why he had reported him to the PA Chairman.
Intervention
Ms Quainoo said it took the intervention of the Regional Director of Education in Cape Coast before the school authorities came around after the demise of the student.
She said the family wanted investigations into whether there was a working infirmary in the school and whether the school hierarchy was effectively working.
The Central Regional Director of Education, Emmanuel Essuman, has also expressed condolences to the family, saying he was optimistic that justice would be served.
Latest Stories
-
If Baba Yara picth was good, Mumin stays on his feet and clears the ball – Laryea Kingston
14 mins -
GPL 2024/25: Samartex begin title defence with draw against Dreams FC
46 mins -
Financing road construction and maintenance through a special fuel levy: A sustainable solution for Ghana’s road infrastructure
54 mins -
Ghana Celebrity Impact Awards 2024 launched to honor positive social influence
1 hour -
Mexico arrests alleged cartel kingpin tied to 43 missing students
2 hours -
Evans Mawunyo Tsikata: Ghana’s greed beyond hell’s expectation
2 hours -
KNUST and Félix Houphouët-Boigny University explore partnership opportunities
2 hours -
Wholesome Mind Summit: A major initiative for Mental Health Awareness
2 hours -
At least 18 students killed in Kenya boarding school fire
3 hours -
Galamsey: Annoh-Dompreh’s comment an admission of guilt and must be arrested – Awula Serwaa
3 hours -
NDC is a threat to gains made in education sector, don’t vote for them – Napo tells Ghanaians
3 hours -
Russian Ministry of Digital Development trains 70 cyber security specialists to combat growing cyber threats
4 hours -
Jane’s Army of Women vows to deliver 80% of women’s votes to NDC in Central Region
4 hours -
We need community commitment to fight ‘galamsey’ – Dr Quaicoe
4 hours -
Wholesale ban on small-scale mining will affect legal miners badly – Minerals Commission
5 hours