By Issah Olegor
A routine disciplinary operation to confiscate mobile phones from students at Nkwanta Senior High School in the Oti Region spiraled into chaos Tuesday evening, leading to the destruction of school property—including a school bus—and exposing deeper concerns over student conduct and campus security.
The incident occurred around 8:00 p.m. during a search operation initiated by school authorities to retrieve mobile phones, which are prohibited on campus under Ghana Education Service (GES) guidelines.
According to school officials, what began as a simple enforcement exercise quickly escalated into an angry outburst from students, some of whom resorted to vandalism in protest.
Headmaster Solomon Bagman, who was off-campus at the time of the unrest, confirmed that security officers had to be called in immediately to quell the situation.
Speaking to reporters, he expressed dismay over the intensity of the students’ reaction and the nature of some of the items recovered during the search.
“I was shocked. Apart from mobile phones, we found knives, pliers, and other dangerous gadgets in students’ belongings,” Bagman said.
“One must question how these items even entered the school premises, and more importantly, what they were intended for.”
Equally troubling was the discovery of unapproved clothing hidden in student dormitories—outfits typically used to sneak off campus at night, according to the headmaster.
The findings suggest not only defiance of school rules but also potential lapses in supervision and campus perimeter control.
The Municipal Chief Executive of Nkwanta South, Joseph Awal Antwi, visited the school in the aftermath and called for calm among both students and staff.
He assured the community that security forces have taken control of the situation and that investigations would be launched to prevent a recurrence.
In a related development, Municipal Education Director Jonathan Korsinah has directed teachers to resume classes and maintain academic normalcy while authorities work to resolve the crisis.
“We cannot allow indiscipline to disrupt the academic calendar. While we investigate, learning must continue,” he emphasized.
