Regional News of Thursday, 10 April 2003

Source: Chronicle

Assembly Bans JSS Leavers Night

The Kwahu South District Assembly (KSDA), has banned any dance or get-together by Junior Secondary School (JSS) graduants, known as the "JSS Night" or "Leavers Night" which are organised every year immediately after the BECE examinations.

The decision was taken at the Assembly's second ordinary meeting held at Mpraeso recently.

According to the Assembly, recent developments, immorality and violence that had been associated with the event necessitated the decision to ban it in the district to forestall further incidents.

The presiding member of the Assembly, Lt. Col. Owusu Dwamena (Rtd.) cited last year's violent disturbances at Akyem Kwabeng which led to the death of some people and the maiming of others and a number of unfortunate incidents during such programmes in the Kwahu South District, and said the assembly would not sit down for a few greedy individuals to exploit and corrupt the innocent future leaders of our dear nation for their monetary gains.

He advised the would-be JSS graduates not to let the completion of the BECE be the end of their education, but to aim to further to the highest level to enable them become meaningful future leaders.

He warned that anybody who flouts the ban would not be spared.

Meanwhile, 4,374 students registered to write the exams this year, according to records available at the Kwahu South District Directorate of Education.

When Chronicle visited various centres in the district, no incident was reported on the first day of the exams, except nine students at the Ebenezer Preparatory School at Nkawkaw who were withdrawn by the school's management.

According to a letter to the chief examiner of the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), dated March 10 this year and signed by the headmaster of the school, Mr. Emmanuel Kwabena Gyimah, the affected students started playing truancy after registration which affected their academic performance.

Gyimah said parents of the students were informed of the situation and asked to allow their wards to be repeated and sit the exams next year.