The Regional Coordinator of the Free Senior High School (SHS) in the Upper East Region, Anamboyine Kofi, has bemoaned the negative effect of the chieftaincy conflict in Bawku on the school placement system.
The Regional Coordinator disclosed that about a 1000 students have so far refused placement into the two schools in the area; Bawku Senior High and Bawku Technical School, respectively, due to the conflict in the area.
Speaking to Class 91.3 FM’s Upper East regional correspondent, Moses Apiah, Mr Anamboyine indicated that the situation was negatively impacting some of the schools in the neighbouring districts because they are receiving more students than their current capacity.
“Students that are placed there are entertaining fears to go, they are asking for changes to the neighbouring districts like Tempane Senior High and others. And those schools too, the heads can’t receive more students than the number,” he said.
Mr Anamboyine pleaded with the people of Bawku to let peace prevail.
“Though we are talking to them [parents and students] that the conflict does not affect the schools, it is difficult for them to understand.
“So, we are pleading with our brothers and sisters in Bawku to stop fighting”, he said.
Touching on some of the other challenges confronting the school placement system in the region, the coordinator noted that some of the students often come with problems they created for themselves.
“My brother, imagine you have selected a school in Kumasi as your first choice and the system has given you that and then, you have come back to us to do the changes. How can we do that? Isn’t that your own making to begin with?
“So, these are some of the self-made problems we are confronting as well. But we are talking to them and their parents to address such challenges as well,” he noted.
The Upper East Regional Free SHS Coordinator also assured parents of his outfit’s readiness to address their challenges before the placement system ends.