Tumu Sec Tech students return to school after riots

The Tumu Secondary Technical Senior High School in the Sisaala East Municipality of the Upper West Region is expected to be re-opened today for academic work after two weeks of closure.

The Municipal Security Council ordered the shut down following student riots on the evening of May 23 that resulted in the destruction of school property.

The students were protesting the seizure of their mobile phones.

The students reportedly started the protest by cutting off electricity to the school at about 11:30 pm and later ransacked teachers bungalows and other properties of the school on May 23.

The students are expected to sign a bond of good behavior upon their return.

“They will pay dearly for the destruction. That payment will not be made [today] but we are hoping that [today] we will be able to know the full cost of the destruction,” the MCE for the area, Karim Nanyua said to Citi News.

Twenty-nine students were transferred to the Upper West Regional police headquarters in Wa to face criminal charges.

The closure also affected final year students who are sitting for the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Exams.

They had to make their way to the school on the days of their papers under strict supervision.

There have been similar incidents sparked by the seizure of mobile phones in other schools.

There was a similar incident at the Nkwanta Senior High School in the Volta Region in October 2018.

That school was closed down indefinitely following student rioting after the school authorities seized and destroyed their mobile phones.

Police ended up arresting 30 students over the incident.

 

Source: Citinewsroom