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Four hundred and fifty final year students of the Kaleo Senior/Technical School in the Upper West Region, who left school without permission have been deboarded.

The venue for their final examination has been changed to the Queen of Peace Senior High School in Nandowli, as part of the punishment.

Eight other students who declined to participate in the walkout have, however, been instructed to remain on campus.

Mass walkout

The school took the drastic action after a mass walkout from the campus staged by the students in defiance of a management order during the intended break for final year students last month.

The events were triggered by the reversal of that intended break, with the students protesting the decision, particularly after some Muslim mates were granted exeat to participate in the Eid prayers.

The management decision leaves the students in a dilemma as they prepare to write their final exams.

Board’s decision

The management of the school has subsequently directed that, “all final year students are required to come to campus on Tuesday, August 24, and Wednesday, August 25, 2021, to pack their remaining items they left behind after the walk-out".

A statement issued by the school said: “The management of Kaleo Senior High Technical School board of governors wish to inform all final year students and their parents/guardians that the examination (referring to WASSCE) centre has been changed to Queen of Peace Senior High School in Nadowli.

"Any enquiries about their final examination should be directed to the Headmistress of Queen of Peace Senior High School.

"Students are also hereby informed that no accommodation and feeding will be provided by the Headmistress of Queen of Peace Senior High School. Hence students are expected to find their own accommodation and feeding,” the statement said.

The statement warned that, “any final year student caught scaling in or attempting to scale into the school campus will be severely dealt with”.

But reliable sources have indicated to the Daily Graphic that the eight students who refused to participate in the mass action would still be accommodated and fed during the exams.

The 2021 WASSCE has already started with the practical segment of the various subjects and the oral of the languages.

The theoretical aspect is scheduled to start in the first week of September.

But the situation of the students appears compounded by the recent flood which affected Nadowli-Kaleo and five other districts in the region, leaving acres of farms and hundreds of houses submerged or destroyed.