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Education Minister demands urgent probe into Lawra SHS canoe tragedy
Education Minister demands urgent probe into Lawra SHS canoe tragedy
By: Nii Ammui Fio | 2 mins read
Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has directed the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis, to urgently convene a meeting with school authorities following the death of seven students of Lawra Senior High School in a canoe accident on the Black Volta River.
The incident occurred on Saturday, June 14, during what school officials say was a routine morning jogging session for the school’s cadet corps. Ten students were on board an overloaded boat attempting to cross the river when it capsized, killing five girls and two boys. The three survivors received medical attention and psychological support.
Though the cadet team regularly engages in early morning jogging, it remains unclear why the group attempted to cross the river that morning.
“As the Ministry awaits a full report from the Ghana Police Service, we wish to assure Ghanaians that we will continue to do our best to ensure the safety and security of our students,” the Education Ministry said in a statement.
Prof. Davis has been tasked to meet with the Regional and District Directors of Education, along with the Headmaster of Lawra SHS, to gather facts surrounding the incident and report back to the Ministry.
Meanwhile, Deputy Education Minister Dr. Clement Apaak has extended condolences to the families and school community affected by the tragedy.
“We share in the grief of the affected families and the entire school community. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in this extremely difficult time,” Dr. Apaak said in a statement.
The tragic loss has reignited concerns about student safety in communities near rivers and lakes. In 2023, a similar tragedy in the Sene East District saw eight schoolchildren drown in the Volta Lake while on their way to school. That incident led to widespread calls for increased safety protocols for students who commute over water.
Following the 2023 tragedy, the GES donated 100 life jackets and educational supplies to students in the Atigagorme and Wayokope communities. Then GES Director-General Dr. Eric Nkansah described the move as an interim safety measure to protect students commuting by boat.
Civil society group Eduwatch Africa has renewed its appeal for broader safety measures, urging the GES to act swiftly to avoid more avoidable deaths.
“In the immediate term, we urge the Ghana Education Service (GES) to facilitate the availability of life jackets to all school children and staff who sail to and from school, not only in the Sene East district, but all other 'island and settler communities' where children and staff commute by water transport to school,” Eduwatch’s statement read.
They further recommended health and safety orientation programmes for students and staff in water-bound communities.
The Education Ministry is expected to issue a public update once the GES concludes its meeting and submits its report.
