Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Clement Abas ApaakThe Ministry of Education has commiserated with the families of the seven Lawra Senior High School students who lost their lives in a tragic canoe accident on the Black Volta River.
The incident, which occurred on Saturday, June 15, involved ten members of the school’s cadet corps who had reportedly attempted to cross the river near Dikpe during a morning jogging exercise.
Seven of them drowned when the canoe capsized midstream while the remaining three were rescued.
In a statement signed by Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, the Ministry described the development as an “unexpected and heartbreaking” tragedy and conveyed condolences on behalf of Minister Haruna Iddrisu and the government.
“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,” the statement issued on Sunday, June 15, read in part.
The Ministry confirmed that the bodies of the five girls and two boys who died were retrieved by a combined team from NADMO, the Ghana Police Service, and the Ghana Education Service.
The statement added that Minister Iddrisu has directed the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service to immediately meet with the Regional and District Directors of Education, as well as the school’s headmaster, to provide a full briefing.
“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,” Dr. Apaak stated.
