The Institute of Education Studies (IFEST) has advised parents and interested parties of the eight female students of Chiana Senior High School who insulted the President to officially petition the president and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to rescind their dismissal.

A viral video in November 2022 showed the second-year female students of the Chiana Senior High School in the Kassena-Nankana West District, Upper East Region, vehemently insulting President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo over difficulties faced by their school.

In response, following an investigation, the GES released a press statement indicating its decision to dismiss the students for the misconduct.

Speaking on Class 91.3 FM’s mid-day news 12Live, Thursday, January 13, 2023, Dr Barnabas Addai Amanful, a research fellow with IFEST said: “I think they should take the apology further, put it into writing, submit it to the school and [take it] to the next level.”  

He also said the students “deserve some punishment for what they did, no doubt about that, but to the extent of ending or denying them education – cutting [short] their education – we think it is kind of harsh.”

Meanwhile, President Akuffo Addo has intervened. Therefore, the Education Minister, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, has directed the GES to consider an alternative disciplinary action instead of the dismissal.

Also, institutions like Occupy Ghana, NDC Youth Wing, and Child Rights International have released individual statements showing their dissatisfaction with the decision by the GES to dismiss the students.