The Ghana Education Service (GES) has imposed a two-year ban on three senior high schools in the Eastern Region, barring them from organising, participating in, or spectating at any sporting and co-curricular activities including quizzes, debates, cadet programmes, and entertainment events.
The sanctions affect Koforidua Senior High Technical School, New Juaben Senior High School, and New Nsutem Senior High Technical School.
In addition to the ban, each institution has been fined GHC 500.00 and will be surcharged for any costs arising from property damage or injuries sustained during the incidents.
The disciplinary action was announced in a press release by the Eastern Regional Director of Education, Ivy Asantewa Owusu, following alleged cases of gang rape and stabbing that occurred during the recently concluded inter-school sports competition in Koforidua.
According to the statement, the sanctions are grounded in Section 2.17 of the GES Code of Conduct on physical and psychological violence, as well as the Eastern Region Schools and Colleges Sports Association Code of Discipline.
The release also cited Article VII, which addresses disturbances, riots, and hooliganism, and Article VIII on sanctions and punishment.
The GES stated that students from the affected schools engaged in unacceptable acts of hooliganism, which contravene the discipline standards of the Service.
In a related development, two underage students have been arrested and are facing prosecution in connection with the alleged gang rape of a fellow student in a bush during the sports event.
Police have charged the suspects with conspiracy to commit a crime, to wit rape, rape. A third suspect, believed to be an old student, is currently at large.
In a separate incident, another student was arrested for allegedly stabbing a fellow student at a location miles away from the sports stadium.
