The Africa Center for Democracy and Socioeconomic Development, CDS Africa, strongly condemns the recent stabbing incident at O'Reilly Senior High School, which took place on September 3, 2024. This senseless act of violence, stemming from a trivial argument over "whose father is richer," has resulted in the tragic death of 18-year-old Edward Borketey Sackey, a final-year student. This incident raises grave concerns about the safety and security of our schools.
The violent altercation reportedly began as a verbal argument between Edward Borketey Sackey and another student, Godwin, following the completion of an exam. The disagreement quickly escalated, leading Godwin to use a sharp object to stab Edward multiple times. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident; it is part of a troubling pattern of violence among students.
In March 2024, two students lost their lives during a violent clash between Christian Methodist Senior High School (SHS) and Ngleshie Amanfro Senior High School. The confrontation began during Christian Methodist SHS's Student Representative Council (SRC) week celebration and escalated into a deadly brawl. Similarly, in November 2021, a 17-year-old first-year student, Larhan Sam-Una, of Konongo Odumase Senior High School (KOSS), was fatally stabbed by a fellow student during an altercation.
As an organization committed to promoting democracy and the well-being of all Ghanaians, CDS Africa urgently calls on the Greater Accra education office to publicly release the findings of the ongoing administrative investigations in the next two weeks as indicated by GES. We are also calling upon the Ghana Police Service to also make known the findings of their criminal investigations at the end of the stipulated time to ensure that justice is served.
In addition, CDS Africa urges the Ghana Education Service and the Ministry of Education to implement a robust anti-violence program in schools, focusing on emotional intelligence and conflict resolution. We believe that parents must also play a crucial role in guiding their children's behaviour and attitudes towards resolving conflicts peacefully.
There is a pressing need for schools, authorities, and society as a whole to address the underlying causes of such violence and to take decisive action to safeguard the well-being of students across the country. We extend our deepest sympathies to the family of the victim during this distressing time and stand in solidarity with them in their grief.
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