Mr. Ransford Gyampo, a Professor at the University of Ghana (legon), has stated that although there are several issues happening in the country which call for criticisms of the government, these issues do not warrant insulting the President.
Speaking in an interview, he stated that “I am for criticisms but not insults, you can’t insult the president like that.”
Professor Gyampo further commended President Akufo Addo for heeding the call to intervene in the sacking of the student who insulted him.
“The President should also give this same listening ear to other important issues which Ghanaians have made critical calls.”
Gyampo
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo made an intervention in the punishment apportioned to some eight girls of Chiana Senior High School. He made the intervention after his attention was drawn to it.
A press release issued by the Spokesperson of the Minister of Education, Kwasi Kwarteng, on Friday January 13 disclosed that Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to, as a result, consider an alternative disciplinary action instead of dismissal.
The eight girls were dismissed after investigations into a video they recorded in November, 2022, raining expletives on the President. Following their misconduct, the Management of the GES condemned the act and apologised to the President on behalf of the students, school and members of the public.
At the moment, GES has referred the intervention of President Akufo Addo to the school’s Disciplinary Committee (DC) for action.
According to the Service, the punishment given out to the students was based on a recommendation by the Committee.
They Would Have Been Flogged Publicly Elsewhere
Meanwhile, former Deputy General Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has stated that the eight girls should thank the President for having a kind heart to forgive them.
Mr Koku Anyidoho revealed that the girls would have been flogged openly in other jurisdictions for insulting the President.
“Honestly, these girls are damn lucky. In other jurisdictions. What nonsense!! You joke with insulting the President & making it public? Ah! Ah! Ah!”
Mr Koku
Since a communication of the decision to parents, opinions have been divided over the punishment. Some of the parents have condemned the action of their wards while the children themselves have apologised in another video to the President.
Wading into the matter, the Northern Network for Educational Development(NNED) in welcoming the intervention of the President and lauding him for showing leadership and a good hear, have asked teachers and supervisors to be ‘diligent and up to the task’.
“We believe that if authorities at the Chiana SHS had been diligent and up to the task, these students would not have had the chance to use unauthorised gadgets (mobile phones) in the school to record themselves and share same on social media.”
NNED
The Network condemned the language of the students in the viral video and reminded all that the freedom of speech guaranteed under the constitution is not absolute.
“In our view, the act by the students exposes the weak supervision in our second cycle educational institutions by school authorities, especially on the part of teachers and management committees who have direct oversight responsibility of the schools.”
NNED
The Network further called for the introduction of Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in schools and the intensification of Guidance and Counselling Units.
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