Some four students from Lawra Senior High School (SHS) have lost their lives after the boat they were travelling by capsized on the Black Volta River at Dikpe.

0

The unfortunate incident occurred on Saturday, June 14, during a routine morning jogging exercise

1

Per reports, the group of 10 part of the school’s cadet corps were attempting to cross into Burkina Faso in an overloaded boat.

2

The bodies of four deceased students—two males and two females were retrieved by the rescue team.

3

Three other students were rescued and provided medical care as well as pyschological support.

4

The whereabouts of the three other students are unknown and a search operation has been launched.

5

According to reports, early morning jogging is a regular activity for the cadet team, however, the rationale behind the groups's attempt to cross the river remains unclear.

6

Ghana Education Service (GES) officials the Lawra Municipal Assembly, and the Municipal Security Council are said to have visited the scene and are coordinating ongoing recovery efforts.

7

This is not the first time lives, especially those of students have been lost to drowning on the Black Volta.

8

In 2023, some eight students drowned in the Volta Lake in the Sene East District on their way to school.

9

This prompted calls on the government to provide life jackets to pupils and staff in island communities who commute by water.

10

Eduwatch Africa called on the Ghana Education Service and other relevant stakeholders to roll out measures to avert such disasters in the future.

11

"In the immediate term, we urge the Ghana Education Service (GES) to facilitate the availability of life jackets to all school children and staff who sail to and from school, not only in the Sene East district, but all other 'island and settler communities' where children and staff commute by water transport to school.

12

The GES should in collaboration with the relevant state agencies, facilitate health and safety orientation sessions for all its pupils and staff in island communities", portions of the group's statement read.

13

The Ghana Education Service (GES) donated 100 life jackets and learning materials to the Atigagorme and Wayokope communities in the Sene East District.

14

Then Director-General of GES, Dr Eric Nkansah, said the donation was an interim safety and security measure for school children,

15