An educationist, Mr Richard kwasi Anim has stated that those responsible for the death of 17-year-old student of the St. Monica’s Senior High School (SHS) at Asante Mampong, Miss Patience Amanyi, must be punished for being negligent.
Per a report on Graphic Online, on Saturday, May 13, 2023, Patience Amanyi complained of a headache and asked for an exeat to go to the hospital because the school infirmary is closed on weekends.
According to the source, the exeat was granted and Patience went to the Mampong General Hospital.
When Patience returned from the hospital, the house mistress refused to accept the exeat form because it had not been signed by the hospital.
The house mistress reportedly told the board that she thought Patience would return to the hospital to have the exeat form signed.
Although Patience still felt unwell, she was not immediately given an exeat to return to the hospital, the source added.
Patience could not stay in the dormitory and had to be carried to classes. On May 15, one of her teachers noted in class that she was very sick and asked her to return to the hospital.
The source said Patience went for another exeat on Tuesday May 16, from the second housemistress.
It said the house mistress did not even see Patience but gave the exeat to the Prefect accompanying Patience to the hospital through the window because she (house mistress) was busy.
It said at 7:30pm, the prefect together with two other students took Patience to the hospital. At the hospital, the students called the house mistress to let her know Patience’s case was serious.
The source said the house mistress then informed the Senior Housemistress who also called the Assistant Head for Domestic to go to the hospital. They were at the hospital till Patience was declared dead around 9:30pm.
The doctor’s diagnosis stated “Hypoglycaemia, Acute infective gastroenteritis with severe dehydration complicated by shock, Cerebral malaria with focal seizures.”
The doctor also indicated that Patience came in, comatose.
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Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie with Ama Gyenfa Ofosu Darkwa, Mr Richard kwasi Anim said the House Mistress in question should have called the parents of the child to let them know the condition of their child if the school could not handle it and as well should have acted swiftly in sending Patience to the hospital.
He was of the view that the punishment of the school depends on the parents, adding that if they want to take the matter on, the negligence of the school must be booked.
“At all material times, teachers are the children’s parents, which means that the parents have entrusted the child to your care and it is your responsibility to fulfill the parental responsibilities. If my child is ill and I am a parent, will I sit back and say that I am too occupied to care for my child and that he or she should die? This is how we will prove the school’s negligence, and with the school’s negligence, you will observe that the school prefect who sent the child to the hospital is not involved because it was not her responsibility,” he said
Mr Richard kwasi Anim added, “As for the punishment, some heads must roll. It is painful, we wish the family our condolences. Like I said, some heads must roll so that it will serve as a lesson to others that when they entrust a child in your care, you must take responsibility.”
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
