Krobea Asante Technical and Vocational School has been closed down indefinitely by the District Security Council (RESEC) following acts of vandalism carried out by a group of students last Sunday.
This followed the destruction of the lighting system, dining hall, all the food in the storeroom of the school by the rampaging students.
Meanwhile, Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, has stated that the students who vandalised the property would bear the cost of damage.
According to the Minister, “the time when students who indulge in such vandalism act are made to sign a bond and government foot such bills is past”.
“They will have to pay the cost of damage to serve as deterrent to other students. Even if you are my child and you are part of the destruction, you will be made to face the consequences,” he intoned.
“Any student involved in the vandalism will not be allowed to enter the school’s premises unless the share of the cost is paid,” he announced.
The Minister was speaking to newsmen after a crunch meeting of the District Security Council (DISEC) yesterday.
He indicated that a committee that should be headed by a judge/lawyer was to be set up to go into the incident and to determine the fate of the students who caused the damage.
The Minister mentioned that those who have been arrested would be screened and those found culpable would be put before the court for prosecution, but that would come out from the committee’s report.
However, he did not disclose the time given to the committee to submit its report.
He expressed grave concern about the students’ action saying “if at this level they could cause such damage, then at the University level they could even throw bombs”.
“We do not want to entertain these things anymore and they would definitely have to pay for the cost of damage,” he stated.
About 40 students of the school have been arrested by the police in connection with the destruction of properties in the incident that took place on the dawn of Sunday.
They were among a group that ran amok and vandalised properties of the school running into thousands of Ghana cedis accusing the school authority over what they claimed as poor results recorded in the school by their predecessors.
Most of the things they destroyed are beyond repairs, including the principal’s vehicle which was provided by government.
The Ashanti Regional Education Director, Dr Annor Ankrah, together with the District Director of Education for Sekyere East, Mr William Agyapong, on Sunday, visited the school to assess the situation.
Krobea Asante Technical Institute was established in the year 1999 by Nana Susubribi Krobea Asante, the Omanhene of Asokore Traditional Area.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, KUMASI
