General News of Monday, 26 April 2004

Source: GNA

School reacts to story on candidate who had miscarriage at BECE

Abuakwa (Ash), April 26, GNA - The management of Neuman International School has stated that the candidate, who had a miscarriage at the just ended Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) was not a regular pupil of the school.

Mr Dominic Osei-Broni, the proprietor of the school said the girl was admitted into the school on humanitarian grounds to enable her write the BECE and that she absented herself from school for more that three months after registration only to surface to write the examination.

Reacting to media reports on the incident at the examination room, which linked the girl to the school, the proprietor emphasised that the pregnant girl had not been one of the continuing pupils of the school.

Mr Osei-Broni said the girl owed the school fees to the tune of 400,000 cedis and that it was purely on humanitarian grounds that she was allowed to join the other candidates to write the examination. He described as unfortunate, media reports on the girl, saying that it was the aim of the school as a Christian institution to instil discipline, good moral values and virtues among the pupils.

Mr Osei-Broni therefore asked the public to discard the wrong impression created about the school as a result of the publication. The school and its sister school at Obuasi in the Adansi West district, the proprietor said, had for the past 14 years of their establishment, carved a high standard of academic and moral discipline and reputation for themselves, which had made past students achieve high academic laurels and dignity.

Master Alex Boachie, president of the school's past pupils association, advised the pupils to be disciplined, comport themselves and abstain from pre-marital sex and also asked them to avoid acts that could lead them to contract sexually transmitted diseases, especially HIV/AIDS.