Ejisuman Senior High School has expelled seven students from its boarding facility after they were deemed to have engaged in activities that tarnished the school’s image.
The six are all final year students. They are accused of using a mobile phone – which is prohibited in basic and high schools – to “intentionally upload a video on social media where unprintable words that border on sex were spewed out.”
They were sacked from the boarding house effective February 6, 2020, pending a final determination of their fate by the school’s Board, a letter to the Ashanti Regional Director of Education said.
“The management of the school, at a meeting with the affected students and their parents arrived at this decision,” the letter said.
Use of phones in High Schools
The Ghana Education Service been called upon on many occasions to review the law banning the use of mobile phones in schools.
The campaigners say in a 21st century technological age, preventing the use of mobile phones do more harm than good.
In 2018, the Provost of the College of Education Studies, University of Cape Coast, Prof Eric Magnus Wilmot, joined the call.
He argued mobile phone usage could be properly regulated in schools to advance academic work of students.
However, those against breaking the status quo say allowing a largely adolescent population quick internet access would simply expose them to pornography and other forms of distractions.
They argue students would spend time making long calls instead of using the devices for judicious academic work.
The GES does not seem enthused about changing the law either.