The Ghana Education Service (GES) has assured parents, students, and stakeholders that all final-year students impacted by the ongoing Bawku conflict will receive the necessary academic and psychological support to participate in the upcoming West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
In an interview on JoyNews’ AM Show, GES Public Relations Officer, Daniel Fenyi, reiterated the agency’s commitment to ensuring that no student is left behind due to the unrest in the region.
“The assurance I can give to all parents and stakeholders who are affected or closely following this issue is that these students will write the WASSCE exams. There will be no disadvantage to them. They will not be denied the opportunity to take the examination. They will be supported in every possible way including provision of support and counselling,” he said.
Mr. Fenyi described the situation in Bawku and its surrounding areas as extremely challenging for the education sector, particularly following violent incidents that resulted in the loss of lives.
“Let me admit that this situation is very, very difficult for us especially in the education sector,” he noted.
He explained that all students from Bawku and Nalerigu were evacuated following the crisis to prioritize their safety.
“When we recorded instances of deaths, we quickly stepped in to ensure that human life is, first of all, protected because students must be alive before we even consider the WASSCE exams,” he added.
With the WASSCE practical exams scheduled to begin within a week, GES is in discussions with key stakeholders to finalize arrangements for students in the affected areas.
“We are hopeful that within this week, hopefully by its close, we will know exactly what can be done to help our students write the exams,” Mr. Fenyi said.
He also highlighted the emotional impact the violence has had on students.
“It has come to our attention and we have observed that some students are traumatized because they have witnessed the shooting of their friends and the death of colleagues whom they started Form One with. This has instilled fear and trauma in them,” he said.
To help students cope, GES is strengthening counselling services for both learners and teachers in affected schools.
“We are strengthening counselling services for both students and teachers to help them gain mental and emotional stability as they prepare for the exams,” he explained.
Mr. Fenyi added that GES is collaborating with the Ministry of Education, regional education directorates, and security agencies to assess the safety of school campuses and determine whether students can return or need to be relocated.
“We are in touch with all affected stakeholders, the Regional and District Directorates of Education, the Regional Minister, and the Ministry of Education — to ensure that by the end of this week, we can determine if the school campuses are safe enough for learners to return and write the WASSCE, or if we should relocate them to more secure centers elsewhere,” he said.
He further noted that while the focus is currently on final-year students, the Service is also exploring ways to support other affected learners.
