The Ministry of Education has expressed profound condolences to the families of seven students from Lawra Senior High School who tragically died in a canoe accident on Saturday, 15 June 2025.
According to a statement issued by Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, the deceased students, all members of the school’s cadet corps, were participating in a routine morning jogging session when they attempted to cross the Black Volta River near Dikpe into neighbouring Burkina Faso.
Tragically, the canoe carrying the students capsized mid-journey, resulting in the deaths of five girls and two boys. Three other students were rescued alive.
Describing the incident as “unexpected and heart-breaking,” Dr Apaak conveyed the sympathy of the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, and the government to the grieving families and the wider school community.
Recovery operations were carried out by personnel from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Police Service, and the Ghana Education Service (GES), leading to the retrieval of all seven bodies.
In response to the incident, Minister Iddrisu has instructed the Director-General of the GES to convene an emergency meeting with regional and district education directors, as well as the headmaster of the school. The purpose of the meeting is to investigate the circumstances surrounding the tragedy and recommend urgent measures to prevent a recurrence.
“We share in the grief of the affected families and the entire school community,” the statement read. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them in this extremely difficult time.”
The Ministry affirmed its commitment to safeguarding students across the country and is awaiting a full report from the Ghana Police Service to guide further action.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/Mitchell Asare Amoamah
