Education Minister Orders Probe Into Death Of 7 Lawra SHS Students In Boat Tragedy – GhArticles.com

The Ministry of Education has expressed deep sorrow following the tragic death of seven students from Lawra Senior High School in the Upper West Region, who perished in a canoe accident on the morning of Saturday, June 15, 2025.

In an official statement signed by the Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, the Ministry extended condolences to the bereaved families and assured the public of a thorough investigation into the incident. The accident occurred during a routine morning jogging session when ten cadet students attempted to cross the Black Volta River near Dikpe into Burkina Faso. The canoe carrying the students reportedly capsized midway through the journey.

According to information received from the Upper West Regional Minister and the Member of Parliament for Lawra, three of the ten students were rescued, while seven, five girls and two boys, drowned. Their bodies were recovered by teams from the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), the Ghana Police Service, and the Ghana Education Service (GES).

The Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has since directed the Director General of the GES to convene an emergency meeting with Regional and District Directors of Education, along with the school’s headmaster, to gather facts surrounding the tragic incident and report back urgently.

“The Ministry shares in the grief of the affected families and the entire school community. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in this extremely difficult time,” the statement read.

The Ministry pledged its continued commitment to ensuring the safety and security of students across the country, pending the outcome of a full investigation by the Ghana Police Service.