Ghana Education Service debunks claims of alleged manhandling of dead student

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has debunked media reports suggesting that Master Nathaniel Yankey of the Gwiraman Senior High School in the Western Region, died as a result of negligence on the part of school authorities.

According to the GES, Master Yankey left his hostel, a privately owned facility on Friday to his parents’ house when he felt unwell and notified the school as such, hence, his death could not be blamed on the school as it was being alleged.

“Management of GES wishes to indicate that the unfortunate death of one of our students was not the manhandling of a sick student on campus as the 3news.com story alleges”.

“Management of Gwiraman SHS called today Wednesday, 15^th July 2020 to check on him and was told he had passed on this morning,” the statement said.

The GES was responding to a news report carried by the 3news.com about the unfortunate death of the final year student of the school yesterday.

3news.com report

On Wednesday, July 15, 2020, 3news.com reported that the mother of 21-year-old Nathaniel Yankey, a final year student of Gwiraman Senior High School in the Western Region was blaming the school authorities for the loss of her son.

The student’s mother, Mena Adjoa Esson was reported to have said that his son called her and complained of severe headaches, however, the boy was left in the care of his friend who she said took him to the hospital.

The boy died at the Essikado hospital early Wednesday morning.

Gwirawan SHS, a Community Day School.

However, the Ghana Education Service in response noted that the school was a day school.

“Management of GES wishes to state that Gwiraman SHS is an E-Block Community Day School. However, some parents including the parent of the deceased have hired their own private hostels for their wards where they reside and commute to and from school on daily basis. Such hostels are run by private individuals and not by the school authorities,” the statement dated July 15, 2020, said.

GES, in the statement, assured parents that they were doing everything possible to ensure the safety of students while they remain under their care.

They also called on the media to cross-check facts thoroughly before publishing to avoid causing fear and panic among the public.