There is confusion at Madonna School in Koforidua, a private institution owned by the Catholic Church, following the headmistress’s decision to annul the Senior School Prefect election results.

This decision has undermined an effort to teach students about organizing peaceful, free, and fair elections ahead of Ghana’s December 7 general elections.

In an effort to instill civil responsibility and democratic values, the school management formed a Vetting Committee and an Electoral Commission to oversee the Senior School Prefect elections.

Three JHS 2 students who showed interest in contesting were cleared by the vetting committee. They presented their manifestos during an assembly attended by the headmistress and teachers and campaigned among their peers, including sharing flyers.

In the election held two weeks ago, the winner secured 129 votes, the second candidate had 109, and the third candidate garnered 23. However, the results were not officially declared.

Sources indicate that the headmistress, Rev. Sr. Perpetual Owiredu, announced that the results would be declared after the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

Surprisingly, the headmistress declared that the winner and the third-placed candidates were ineligible to contest, without providing a tangible reason.

This decision has left the affected candidates traumatized and thrown the entire school into a state of confusion.

Efforts to obtain a comment from Rev. Sr. Perpetual Owiredu were unsuccessful. When approached for clarification, she declined to comment, saying, “Thank you. I won’t talk. I don’t know why all this is happening.”

A member of the Electoral Commission disagreed with the decision to annul the results and call for fresh elections. He explained, “In our school, it is the Upper Primary – class 4, 5, 6, and JHS 3, 2, and 1 who vote. We did the voting, counted the outcomes, and compiled the list, which we gave to the headmistress. Eventually, she said there was a problem with two of the candidates but has not disclosed what the problems are. She said we have to go through the electoral process again, but she couldn’t answer whether we need a new set of senior prefects, leaving us all at a loss.”

The situation at Madonna School remains tense as the school community and parents await the final decision on the election results. Information gathered indicates there may be a spontaneous protest on campus if the headmistress does not rescind the unpopular decision.

The media in Koforidua, which also monitored the election process, is observing how a school aiming to teach democratic principles and the organization of free and fair elections has ended up causing such a mess.