Former Ghana Education Service Deputy Director-General Dr. Kwabena Bempah Tandoh has called for immediate implementation of the national Education in Emergency (EiE) policy following school closures in conflict-stricken Bawku.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on July 29, 2025, Tandoh warned that recent killings at Bawku Senior High and Nowlugu Senior High threaten to disrupt critical exams for thousands of students.
“The WASSCE begins August 5, yet students were sent home after violent attacks,” stressed Tandoh, who chaired Ghana’s EiE development committee.
He confirmed the 66-page policy successfully tested during 2023 Akosombo Dam flooding provides clear protocols for relocating displaced learners.
The plan includes utilizing WAEC’s 1,000 nationwide exam centers for safe reassignment of students who fled to Accra or Kumasi.
Tandoh condemned reported proposals to return pupils to Bawku under military escort as “a travesty,” arguing armored patrols create psychologically harmful test environments.
He urged activation of psychosocial support systems through the GES counselling unit and University of Cape Coast partnerships. For non-exam students, he recommended redeploying COVID-era remote learning tools like Ghana Learning TV and iCampus platforms.
“We built these systems precisely for such crises,” emphasized Tandoh, confirming he had formally advised the Education Ministry and regional directors. “This isn’t political—it’s about salvaging children’s futures.”
