By Jennifer Frimpong Wiredu
In a week marked by profound sorrow, the Youth Bridge Foundation (YBF), a leading youth-focused non-governmental organisation in Ghana, has issued a powerful statement lamenting the loss of three students in two separate tragic incidents at Bawku and Nalerigu Senior High Schools.
The fatal shootings, which occurred in the Upper East and North East Regions, claimed the lives of one student at Bawku SHS and two others at Nalerigu SHS in a single night, plunging the nation into mourning and drawing attention to the alarming instability threatening schools in conflict-prone regions.
“The trauma and psychological scars from these tragedies will haunt the survivors and jeopardise their educational journey,” said Seth Oteng, Executive Director of the Foundation, in a statement released Tuesday. “At the heart of every act of violence are disrupted dreams, and it is the youth who carry the heaviest burden.”
Education under siege
For years, the Bawku enclave has experienced intermittent conflict, forcing repeated school closures and disrupting academic calendars. The latest incidents come amid a renewed curfew aimed at curbing violence, yet they have exposed deeper structural vulnerabilities in Ghana’s educational system, particularly in marginalised and volatile areas.
While commending swift interventions by the Ghana Education Service and respected traditional authorities like His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, YBF emphasised that reactive measures are not enough.
“What is needed now is a youth-centred recovery strategy,” Mr. Oteng urged, “one that prioritises protection, mental health support, academic continuity, and livelihood options.”
Bold recommendations for a fragile future
YBF is calling on the Ministry of Education and other stakeholders to act decisively by:
- Strengthening counselling and guidance services in affected schools to support trauma recovery.
- Introducing remote learning alternatives via radio, digital platforms, and community-based hubs.
- Ensuring inclusive access to learning resources, especially for displaced or vulnerable students.
The Foundation drew parallels to its innovative COVID-19 interventions in 2020—such as the STEM Mobile Clinics and Radio School programmes launched in collaboration with Tullow Oil Ghana—as examples of scalable solutions that could be adapted to today’s crisis.
“These models proved that, even in adversity, learning can and must continue,” the Foundation noted.
A call for national urgency
As final-year students prepare to sit their exams in August, fears of academic delay loom large. YBF stressed that while temporary school closures may be necessary to protect lives, they must not become a barrier to education.
“Let us not abandon our young people at their most vulnerable moment,” the statement concluded. “Education must remain uninterrupted, inclusive, and safe.”
YBF also extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and affected school communities, reiterating its unwavering commitment to amplifying youth voices and safeguarding their future.
