Dismissal of culpable students enough punishment – Bright Appiah

Private legal practitioner and a child right advocate, Bright Kweku Appiah, says the dismissal of students involved in the vandalism in senior high schools is enough punishment for them.

This follows the revised punishment by the Ghana Education Service (GES) to the students.

According to Mr Appiah, who is also Executive Director of Child Rights International, dismissal is a very serious offence and it takes a certain level of engagement to dismiss a student, according to the GES rules.

So going to that extent proves that it’s enough punishment, he told Alfred Ocansey on 3FM‘s Sunrise on Tuesday.

He also agreed with the president’s plea to the GES and sector minister to allow the culpable students to write their WASSCE examination.

“No matter the offence the students have committed, the system should not render them more vulnerable for that matter denying them access to write exams in facilities the GES is managing.”

He explained further that GES denying the students access to write their exams isn’t in the interest of the students but rather they are to protect the lives and properties of the institutions they are managing.

“The interest of the students must matter and that is what the law says. Article 28 of the Constitution of the Children’s Act, the welfare principle states that an act of every institution must always be in the interest of children.”

He added that the monopoly being enjoyed by WAEC can also be the root cause of exams malpractices in the country.

“The GES should begin to think about allowing other bodies to conduct exams in the country. Adding to the fact that, the body responsible for the running of the exams should be responsible for the leakage of the exams papers to students.”