Twenty-two of the 38 pupils from the Islamic Senior High School in the Ashanti Region who were sent to the hospital on Monday after an ostensibly peaceful demonstration became violent have been released.
The police were accused of deploying tear gas and firing live bullets at the students, injuring some and creating breathing problems in others.
Calm has restored to the school, according to a news release issued by the Ministry of Education after Deputy Education Minister John Ntim Fordjour visited the institution on Monday night.
All of the injured pupils, he said, are safe and responding to medical care. "Of the thirty-eight (38) students admitted to the hospital, twenty-two (22) have been discharged and are back on campus," he said.
Following the commotion, the police service has detained DCOP Kwesi Akomeah Apreku, the deputy Ashanti Regional police commander, and two others.
The Ghana Police Service released a statement to this effect.
"It was also discovered that, despite the fact that no one was struck by a gunshot, the police management of the situation was unsatisfactory and fell short of our standard operating procedure on crowd control," according to the report.
As a result, DCOP/Mr Kwasi Akomeah Apraku, the Deputy Regional Police Commander who was serving as the Regional Commander, has been removed from his job and has been interdicted. Two additional officers, Regional Operations Officer ACP/Mr George Ankomah and Suame Divisional Police Commander ACP/Mr Alex Cudjoe Acquah, have also been detained to allow for a full investigation into the event, according to the police statement.
The Police Professional Standards Bureau (PPSB) has launched a full-scale inquiry into the conduct of the officers responsible for the Police response, according to the statement.
Below is a statement from the ministry on the subject:
On Monday, June 13, 2022, the Ministry of Education was fully updated on the sad occurrence that occurred on the premises of the Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi.
The Ministry laments the tragic occurrence, which resulted in 38 students requiring medical assistance and a brief halt in academic activity.
Hon Ntim Fordjour, Deputy Minister of Education, visited the affected students at various health facilities and addressed the entire student population on campus on behalf of Hon Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, Minister of Education. He was accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Mayor of Kumasi, and CHASS President.
The Ministry of Education wishes to reassure the public that all of the pupils who have been impacted are responding well to medical treatment and are in excellent health.
Twenty-two (22) of the thirty-eight (38) pupils who were hospitalized have been released and have rejoined their classmates on campus.
We want to reassure parents and guardians that their children will be safe and secure once full academic work begins on Tuesday, June 14, 2022.