one of its brightest students

The death of my niece at Cape Coast hospital on Sunday 17Th May 2009 has compelled me to write this article and to bring to the limelight an inhumane school policy which has caused the death of a bright student. I am also hoping that with this, the authorities in Wesley Girls High School can prevail themselves with an appropriate response.

My dilemma – how can a school’s policy to ensure that it does everything to ensure absolute success in its examination fail to recognise the need for its own student’s welfare? Rules are made to govern us but should they be so even if it means that a student’s life is at stake, it cannot be ‘bent’? Should it be so stringent that we do not have the opportunity to change it when we feel it is not working for us?

Wesley Girls High School claims that parents and the children should not to have any contact; either face to face or by phone for 4 weeks during the SSS examination period. The reason for this policy is to maintain the creditability of the school’s SSS results and to prevent the suspicion that students have been given copies of the examination papers.

My niece, Elizabeth Mefoa Hazel, fell ill during the examination period and was kept in the school sick bay. She complained of severe stomach pains and headache and had vomited for a couple of days during the examination period. Despite this ailment she was compelled to write her exams with all the other students and was returned to the sick bay after each examination.

On Friday 15th may 2009, whilst writing one of her papers, she complained of severe stomach pains and was given a mat to lie on by the invigilator so that she could continue writing her paper.

Whilst on the mat, she collapsed on the floor and was taken to Cape Coast hospital. It was only after she had collapsed that her mother was informed. By the time that her mother arrived at Cape Coast hospital, her daughter had fallen into comma leading to a subsequent death. Unfortunately, Elizabeth lost her battle to live on Sunday 17th May 2009 at lunch time.

Elizabeth was a Grade “A” student. I write with grief and pain because she was my niece; a bright student who was sick but because of the “no contact” policy, the school authorities had not informed her parents of her illness. She had also not been taken to see a doctor to diagnose her illness or to give her any medication.

Elizabeth Hazel’s welfare was not a priority to Wesley Girls High School in Cape Coast. They were only interested in excellent results even if it meant that she had to lie on a mat to write it. Wesley Girls High School was only interest in its reputation, ignoring basic human rights all in a bid to maintain the school’s “NUMBER 1” status.

Although Elizabeth was school’s care, I am not convinced that anyone with authority within the school went to see Elizabeth whilst she was ill. Her ailment was ignored. Elizabeth had lost weight and had not been able to eat but nobody thought of taking her to see a doctor!! It is also incredible that neither her Form Tutor, House Mistress, the Headmistress nor her Assistant took notice that she was missing from school activities and only appeared to take her exams and returned to sick bay. The health and safety of students should be of utmost importance to the school because the school will not exist without the students!!

It is apparent that Elizabeth’s well-being was in the hands of her friends in the sick bay who, as students could not have confronted any of their teachers because of the no contact policy to take her to the hospital.

From the discussions I have had with other parents, it seems the school’s image and achieving their target is more important than the welfare of the students.

The school authorities have failed my niece and breached a fundamental human rights policy!! “She died because of a horrific catalogue of reckless and irresponsible conduct by those in charge”

When does a child need a parent most? Is it not when they are going through a difficult and stressful period in their life? Who formulated the “no contact” policy of the school? For health and safety reasons don’t you inform a parent when their child is ill?

At what point should a school let a parent know when their child is ill? Who instilled these rules? Is it the Ghana Education Service or are individual schools allowed to make such rules?

Elizabeth could have been brought home to her caring family to be looked after and arrangements could have been made for her to take her exams the following year. After all, it is her choice and we believe she would have excelled no matter when she took her SSS examination.

Even though I write with grief and pain, I feel the need to bring to light this tragedy. Imagine looking after a child for 18 good years and then he/she is taken away from you. What a waste of such a young life!!! Elizabeth was beautiful and intelligent, her smile lights a room and it hurts us that we will not see that beautiful face and lovely smile again.

We need to protect our children from rules which are so stringent, that there is no room for flexibility under any circumstances.

We need to be aware that we are competing with the rest of the world and need to allow children to make choices in order to grow up to be informed and confident adults. DO NOT LET unnecessary rules rule us.

I look forward to receiving a public response from Wesley Girls High School on this matter.

Nana Nyarko Surrey - London tel: 07536 663 124