When I saw the video of the inhumane molestation of a student of Adisadel College on social media on Tuesday, 25 July 2023, I could not believe it until the story was featured that morning on a local FM station. Touched, I immediately sent a message via WhatsApp to two of the teachers at the school and a voicemail to the headmaster, expressing my revulsion at the practice ongoing at the school.
Despite sending messages to these people, I felt I must use this public space to comment on the sad development for the sake of the safety of future students, not only in Adisadel College but elsewhere in the country. Adisadel College is the news for the wrong reasons just days after it had won a regional laurel in an academic contest.
I chose Adisadel for my son for obvious reasons, and he was very happy to have gained admission. When the school appeared for the Science and Mathematics quiz finals, I went all out to support it. This was to underscore my love and admiration for the Zebra Boys.
But issues of molestation, harassment and extortion of money by some seniors that followed made us regret the choice. On our common wassup platform of parents whose sons were in a certain House, some parents often complained bitterly about constant reports of how unsafe the school environment was becoming through molestation, assaults by some seniors, and thefts.
But anytime concerned parents raised these concerns, two alumni parents would come hard on them, strongly rebuke them, and describe them as wanting to give a bad tag to the school. These gentlemen argued that the practice predated the school, so we should shut up. And we did comply, but with teeth gnashing of parents and tears in the eyes of victims.
We made a resolution to talk to our wards and children never to visit the ill treatments they received at the hands of others when they got to the final year. I did warn my son sternly never to deprive any student of anything bought for him by his parents or molest him. And we thought that barbaric practice was over with the batch preceding my child’s intake.
It was, thus, shocking to have seen a video like that; a student not only having his head slammed against a hard object but also being inflicted with an object on the chest. This boy did not go to school deformed but is likely to carry a physical abnormality or disfigurement for the rest of his life. Every parent will be very much hurt by this cruelty.
Not only parents who are traumatised by this kind of unacceptable behaviour, but also the victims, who subsequently become an object of mockery among their colleagues, for either being brave or coward, depending on how the drama unfolded. The fact that someone felt comfortable to film the savage act is a demonstration that the spectacle was a regular occurrence. It could also mean that that student was very much unhappy about these kinds of incidents but had no way of drawing attention of the school authority to it and, therefore, decided to share it with the rest of the world. Other students became referees and spectators goading on the bully, as he exercised his strength on the weaker student. For the rest of this student’s stay in the school, he will adversely be affected emotionally and academically and will require some psychotherapy by a professional.
This condemnable act may not be peculiar to Adisadel; it may be widespread, just that we have not heard of those of other schools. But I watched a disturbing video of a female student wearing a white top and green skirt violently stepping on another, probably a junior, on the ground while others looked on or cheered her.
Heads of institutions witnessing these are to blame somehow. It means these heads do restrict or limit students to their housemasters; they cannot bypass them and lodge a complaint with the head of the school. Molested students can only complain to their housemasters, and woe unto a student who takes a case to the headmaster; you will suffer at the hands of both the housemaster and seniors.
Masters of such houses are, in effect, weak and cannot enforce discipline because if they are not, seniors or bullies cannot be that bold to be asking juniors to ‘settle’ them; it means extortion. As a result of excessive bullying, some students do not sleep on their beds in the boarding houses; they find solace elsewhere on campus.
I have an issue with the Ghana Education Service (GES), too, which is that, more often than not, such a complaint comes up, the GES hastily issues a press statement vowing to deal with the situation to prevent recurrence. But we continue to hear of worse forms of student molestation. What does the recurrence mean to parents and guardians? The impression is created that the public condemnation by GES is a mere public relations gimmick without any concrete action. I can recall instances when the GES had come out with assurances, but the practice never ended.
My suggested solution is that heads of second-cycle institutions should make it possible for either victims of molestation or their parents to reach them with complaints. This should be contained in their prospectus before they report to the school so that they know of their rights. Student bullies must be told of the ramifications should they be found indulging in molestation of or extortion from juniors.
The GES should make it mandatory for all heads of schools to enclose their hotlines in admission letters. The GES must also not just have a hotline for complaints; it must as well give it out to be published in the prospectus. With this, I am certain that the school environment will be what it ought to be and the anxiety of parents will be minimised to the barest minimum. Parents must provide for their children and wards before they leave for school so they do not go and be depriving others of what they have carried to school through bullying and theft. Heads of schools where these barbaric acts take place must also be penalised for lack of effective supervision.
Author: Ex WOI Bright Segbefia (re.shuffle@yahoo.com)
