Bereaved families of drowned pupils of Atigagorme consoles by GES Boss
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has donated 100 life jackets and learning materials to the Atigagorme and Wayokope communities in the Sene East District in the Bono East Region. The donation comes in response to the tragic incident that occurred on Tuesday, January 24, 2023, where eight school children drowned when the boat capsized while crossing a river from Atigagorme to attend school at Wayokope.
Dr Eric Nkansah, the Director-General of GES, expressed his deepest condolences to the families and disclosed that the donation was an interim safety and security measure for the school children. He also shared that the Ministry of Education would soon construct a school in the island community after inspecting a piece of land donated by the community.
“We are deeply saddened by the occurrence, and as leaders, it is our duty to ensure that such bad news never befalls our children again. To address the challenge, the Ministry is constructing a school in Atigagorme within the shortest possible time,” Dr. Nkansah said.
Dr. Nkansah further revealed that he was in talks with the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Sene East to recruit and post teachers in the community to address the challenge of inadequate teachers in the area. He also consoled the surviving children who were on the boat when the incident occurred and assured them of the continuous support of GES to ensure they were safe and secure.
The Assemblyman for Old Nkomi Electoral Area, Mr. Nathan Baflo, praised GES for the donation of the life jackets and learning materials and promised to ensure that the school children used the items when crossing the river. Similarly, the DCE of Sene East, Mr. Kofi Gyimah, commended the Director-General for the donations and for taking proactive measures to prevent future occurrences and aid effective learning and teaching.
Dr. Nkansah called on parents and teachers to ensure that children wore the life jackets while crossing the river. He emphasized that the donation was only an interim measure to ensure the safety and security of the children while they await the completion of the school project.