The Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council has called for the closure of Bright Senior High School located at Kukurantumi in the Eastern Region with immediate effect.

Officials of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) supervising the ongoing WASSCE examination were attacked by students of the school on Thursday, 6 August 2020 over strict invigilation.

A journalist with the state-owned Daily Graphic was also beaten by the students during the melee.

His phone and bag were taken away by the students who chased him on a motorbike and pummeled him even as he jumped onto a moving commercial bus to save his life.

The marauding students trashed phones belonging to the invigilators.

They were angry about strict supervision and social-distancing protocols in the exam hall.

The police had to intervene to calm nerves.

The Kukurantumi incident is one of many such happenings. So far, students of Tweneboa Kodua Senior High School and Juaben Senior High School, both in the Ashanti Region; as well as their colleagues at Ndewura Jakpa Senior High Technical School in the Savanna Region, have rioted over strict invigilation and the difficulty of the exam questions.

Some of them said they were disappointed that none of the government-procured past questions they focused on, featured in the papers they have sat so far.

Reacting to the incident, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council, in a statement issued by State Secretary D.M. Ofori-Atta at the behest of the Paramount Chief Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin II on Monday, 10 August 2020, said: “It is the well-considered opinion of the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council to hold up to its responsibility in relation to the affairs of the Bright Senior High School situated at Kukurantumi in the Abuakwa North District of the Eastern Region. Particular emphasis is the conduct, over the past decade, of the proprietor of the school, a certain Bright Amponsah.”

The Traditional Council noted that: “This statement is provoked by the incident of examination fraud of grave significance in direct relation to the assault of Mr Gyan Mensah and Damolie Emmanuel Pacome, an official of the West African Examination Council and a reporter or the Daily Graphic, respectively in their lawful duties to insist on a fair conduct of WASSCE examination.”

According to the Traditional Council: “The assault was instigated and ordered under the misdirection of Bright Amponsah, the proprietor of the rogue Bright Senior High School, which, for over a decade, has been engaged in ultra-commercial and profiteering aims which run against the established interest of the educational policy and integrity of public examination”.

“The above is not an isolated incident; it confirms several reports of corrupt and exploitative motive of Bright Senior High School.”

The Council emphasised that: “Of more importance to this matter and of illustrative and evidential significance is his bribery of certain officers of the West African Examination Council over the past decade. This situation is proven by the honesty of Mr Gyan Mensah, who decided not bow to the filthy temple of indecency and corruption.”

The Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council continued that it “takes this matter seriously” and indicated that “the exams results from the rogue Bright SHS are falsified.”

According to the Council, “It has become evident that 90 per cent of graduands of the Bright SHS drop out of public universities in their first year due to their lack of ability to meet the intellectual and academic demands of tertiary institutions”.

“The Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council is most concerned with the fact of the abuse and degradation of its young mind, and regrettably is unable to tolerate this situation. The Council finds the liberal attitude of public authorities on this matter as radical deviation from responsible attitude in terms of enforcement of public policy.”

It further revealed that: “It has been noted that Bright SHS, in terms of the admission process and curriculum, is in violation of all the protocols and regulatory measures of the Ghana Education Service. This point is proven without doubt”.

“Further are reports of sexual abuse, which for the sake of lack of evidence, I am not directed to relate”, the statement noted.

The Council proposed, “on the august permission of His Majesty Osagyefuo Amoatia Ofori Panin, the following measures divorced from any compromise: The closure of the Bright Senior High School with immediate effect. The arrest of Bright Amponsah, the proprietor of Bright Senior High School and his immediate prosecution”.

“On humanitarian grounds and fatherly consideration, the Akyem Abuakwa Traditional Council will assist in the rehabilitation of affected students; this is in consideration of their immediate and best interest”.

The Council also called for “thorough investigation of the operations of Bright SHS over the last decade, with particular concern with its dealings with certain officers of the West African Examination Council WAEC” and “a comprehensive auditing of the academic and social situation of Bright SHS by the GES and the police.”