The academic future of second-year and final-year students of Obuasi Senior High and Technical School (SHTS) remains uncertain, as the school has been closed to continuing students for nearly three months.
The school was shut down on August 5, 2026, following an order by the municipal assembly after a riot in which students reportedly attacked the headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, over allegations of an attempt to bury a baby and sexual abuse involving female students.
However, while other senior high schools have resumed academic activities for the new school year, continuing students of Obuasi SHTS are still waiting to return to the classroom.
Checks by JoyNews in the mining town revealed that some of the affected students have turned to domestic chores, while others are engaged in trading activities as they remain out of school with no clear timeline for reopening.
The prolonged closure has raised concerns about the academic progress of the students, particularly those in Form Three who are expected to prepare for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
Anthony Coffie, president of Concerned Citizens of Adansi, has expressed worry over the situation and called for urgent steps to get the students back to school.
“The situation is particularly alarming for Form Three students, who should be preparing intensively for their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE). The loss of valuable instructional time threatens their examination preparation and academic prospects,” he said.
Coffie argued that the students should not be made to bear the consequences of the challenges surrounding the school’s administration.
“Our children must not become collateral victims of an administrative crisis. Their right to education and their prospects for academic success must not be sacrificed while the relevant authorities deliberate over the issues surrounding the school,” he said.
He is appealing to the Adansihene to intervene by engaging the government, the Minister for Education and the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to find an immediate solution to the situation.
Coffie also called for adequate safety measures to be put in place before the students return, stressing the need to protect them when academic activities resume.
