5 students injured as peace ceremony between Bawku schools turns violent

A peace ceremony between students of Bawku Senior High School and Bawku Technical Institute turned violent, with at least five students sustaining severe injuries and others minor wounds.

According to Citinewsroom, the ceremony, held at Bawku Technical Institute, was organised by school authorities in collaboration with the Kpalwega traditional rulers to address and resolve recurring clashes between the two institutions.

As part of the reconciliation process, the traditional leaders proposed the symbolic burial of the okra stick, a ritual intended to foster lasting peace and unity.

However, tensions escalated during the event, leading to a violent confrontation.

Students from both schools began pelting stones at each other, disrupting the proceedings and resulting in multiple injuries.

The Bawku Divisional Police Command swiftly intervened to restore order, while the injured students were rushed to Quality and Vineyard hospitals in Bawku for immediate medical attention.

Despite the disruption, school authorities and the Ghana Education Service (GES) proceeded with the ritual, successfully completing it with the involvement of the senior prefects from both schools.

The incident has raised concerns about the underlying tensions between the two institutions, prompting calls for further dialogue and conflict resolution measures to prevent future outbreaks of violence.

Authorities have urged calm and emphasised the importance of peaceful coexistence, while investigations into the cause of the violence are ongoing.

A call for mass education

Bawku has been tagged with lots of violence lately.

As an institution, the teachers, together with the traditional leaders, must take up the initiative to educate the children on the effects of violence and why they should always embrace peace.

Also, the Ghana Education Service must ensure that persons who have been involved in such acts are given the necessary punishment.