Bolgatanga Technical Institute closed down after students, police clash over exam malpractice

The Bolgatanga Technical Institute in the Upper East Region has been closed down after students clashed with the Police and the staff of the school on Tuesday morning over examination malpractice.

The rampaging students destroyed property during the commotion. Reports say three students have been arrested.

The students blocked the main entrance of the School and violently prevented the Police from accessing the School campus. The Bolgatanga-Navrongo main road was blocked while they pelted stones at the Staff in the campus.

A team of Police Officers who were dispatched to contain the situation were pelted by the students and had to run for cover as they called for reinforcement. They fired several gunshots into the campus and scared the students away before they could reach out to the principal and the staff who were locked up in the administration block.

Lots of properties including vehicles have been damaged.

Calm has finally been restored before the Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu, and the Regional Police Commander, DCOP Dr. SayibuGariba arrived. The Minister after consultations instructed for the closure of the school.

Some of the candidates who are sitting this year’s WASSCE complained to GBC News that closing down the School was going to affect them negatively in their examinations.

Tuesday morning’s incident is not the first time that the school has recorded such destruction of school property. In February 2021, the School was shut down following ethnic clashes between two student groups.