JHS student leads mob assault on teacher

Teachers in the southern cluster of schools within the Krowor Municipal Assembly (KroMA) have withdrawn their services after a student of the Municipal 2 Junior High School (JHS) had led a gang of young men to beat up his teacher in retaliation for punishing the student.

The teacher, Mr Moses Onyameasem, who is the class teacher of the JHS 3 student, was beaten up by the student and his gang last Monday after the teacher was alleged to have given him two strokes of the cane when he found him loitering on the school compound while classes were in session.

Confirming the incident to the Daily Graphic yesterday, the Municipal Director of Education, Ms Justina Djaba, said a report that reached her indicated that the student and some of his mates were asked by their Mathematics teacher to stand up after they had failed to present a homework he had given them.

The boy, however, stormed out of the class and was loitering when Mr Onyameasem accosted him, and when the teacher attempted to discipline the boy, he ran home, only to return with the gang of about 10 in a Mercedes Benz Sprinter bus.

Teacher pounded

The director said the gang suddenly pounced on the teacher, who was marking some exercise books under a tree in the school, and beat him up.

He was hit with an object which resulted in a deep cut, and the mob was still beating him until his colleague teachers rushed to rescue him and sent him to the LEKMA Polyclinic, where he was treated and discharged.

Ms Djaba said on receiving the report, she went to the Kpeshie District Police Command to lodge a complaint, and together with the District Police Commander, she visited the victim at the polyclinic to check up on him.

Verbal attack and threat

Ms Djaba indicated that after the victim was taken to the hospital, four other persons, including a woman, who was identified as an aunt of the student, went to the school to verbally assault the remaining teachers and threatened them.

Following that, the teachers union within the cluster, majority of whom are members of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), withdrew their services.

She said contrary to reports that the schools had been closed down, it was the teachers within the KroMA southern cluster of schools who had opted to stay home until their security could be guaranteed.

She, however, stated that the District Police Command had dispatched some policemen to safeguard lives and property in the school.

Emergency Meeting

Ms Djaba said there was an emergency meeting last Tuesday between the Regional Director of Education, the Regional Inspector of Schools, the Municipal Director of Education and her team, the District Police Commander, the Mkpor Mantse, representing the traditional authority, the Member of Parliament for the area, headteachers within the KroMA Circuit, as well as teachers and students, to deliberate on the issue.

She said there would be another meeting to deliberate on the way forward.

Ms Djaba said Mr Onyameasem was doing well and responding to treatment.

"I have been visiting him since the incident, and as of my last visit today (yesterday), I can confirm that he is doing well," she said.

The police in Nungua said no arrests had been made.

Meanwhile, Emelia Ennin Abbey reports that the Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police Affia Tenge, has said a medical form was issued to the teacher, after the headteacher of the school, Mr Roger Asempa, had reported the incident to the Nungua Police.