The Education Ministry has commiserated with the bereaved families of the seven students of Lawra Senior High School (SHS) who lost their lives after the boat they were travelling by capsized on the Black Volta River at Dikpe.

"We share in the grief of the affected families and the entire school community. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in this extremely difficult time, " a statement signed by the Deputy Education Minister Dr Clement Apaak read.

The unfortunate incident that claimed the lives of five girls and two boys occurred on Saturday, June 14, during a routine morning jogging exercise

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

Three other students were rescued and provided medical care as well as pyschological support. According to reports, early morning jogging is a regular activity for the cadet team, however, the rationale behind the group's attempt to cross the river remains unclear.

Reacting to the unfortunate incident, the Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has instructed that a meeting be convened and its findings reported to him.

Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis, is set to convene an urgent meeting with the Regional and District Directors of Education and the Headmaster of Lawra Senior High School

"As the Ministry awaits a full report from the Ghana Police Service, we wish to assure Ghanaians that we will continue to do our best to ensure the safety and security of our students," the statement added.

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

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

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

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

"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.

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.

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

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

The Education Ministry is expected to provide the general public its findings following the meeting with school authorities.