Family of Labone SHS Student Allegedly Assaulted by Housemaster Petitions Education Ministry

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has been petitioned to investigate an alleged physical assault on Abraham Sambou, a final-year student of Labone Senior High School in Accra. Sambou was allegedly assaulted by Eric Agyemang, the senior housemaster known as ‘Power.’

In a petition made available, Sambou’s family claims that on Tuesday, June 18, 2024, Agyemang slapped their son after he was falsely accused by the school prefect, Blessing Elisha Nyamekye, of using a mobile phone and refusing to hand it over.

Sambou denied the allegations but was still prevented from attending classes and detained in the senior housemaster’s office without food or water until his family arrived at 2 PM.

Following the incident, Sambou was indefinitely expelled from the boarding house without due process. The family expressed concern over the expulsion, highlighting the difficulty of Sambou having to commute daily from Kasoa in the Central Region to Labone in Accra.

“This wrongful undocumented expulsion without recourse to due process poses a significant problem to the entire family since Master Sambou would have to commute daily from Kasoa in the Central Region to Labone, Accra,” the petition stated.

The family also reported that Sambou has been experiencing severe headaches and pain in his left ear and left eye, requiring treatment at the Amanfro Polyclinic.

During a meeting with the school’s management, the senior housemaster justified his actions by claiming Sambou lied about his father’s availability. The headmistress, Rejoice Acorlor, supported Agyemang’s actions, stating she would have acted even more harshly.

The family also raised concerns about a photograph on the senior housemaster’s WhatsApp profile showing him holding a gun, questioning his suitability as a role model for students.

The family has called for the GES and the Ministry of Education to conduct a full investigation, revoke Sambou’s expulsion, hold Agyemang accountable, and monitor the conduct of Rejoice Acorlor to ensure fair treatment of students.

They also expressed concerns about Agyemang’s continued physical abuse and unjust treatment of students, citing reports of his involvement in other incidents of physical punishment and intimidation.