O’Reilly SHS Death: Bereaved family rejects advances from GES Director General and his team

I was welcomed into the home of Edward Borketey Sackey, an eighteen-year-old student whose life was cruelly taken by violence on the O’Reilly Senior High School campus. The atmosphere was one of grief.

Edward’s sister, once full of life, now swamped in sadness, her cries uncontrollable as grief consumed her. Family members and neighbors gathered around her, their faces painted with disbelief and deep sadness, struggling to comprehend the sudden and devastating loss.

Edward, a final-year student in the General Arts Department, was the hope of his family. But on Monday, September 2, that hope was violently extinguished during a heated argument with a classmate, Godwin, from the Visual Arts Department.

The argument escalated, leaving Edward fatally wounded after being stabbed. The incident has sent shockwaves through the school and the wider community, raising serious questions about student safety and the response of school authorities.

In the wake of this tragedy, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Dr. Eric Nkansah, accompanied by head teachers from the school, visited the bereaved family to offer their condolences and to assure them that justice would be served. Dr. Nkansah’s visit was meant to bring some comfort and clarity to the grieving family.

However, as the discussions unfolded, it became clear that the family was deeply dissatisfied with the explanations and plans presented by the GES.

Tensions rose as family members expressed their frustration with the perceived lack of urgency and transparency from both the school and the GES.

ALSO READ: Headmistress of O’Reilly SHS reportedly flees after deceased student family became enraged during meeting

The meeting, intended as a gesture of support, ended in chaos as angry relatives, feeling unheard and overlooked, escorted the GES officials to their cars, demanding more concrete actions and answers.

Edward’s sister voiced the family’s concerns, insisting that they deserved a better explanation from the school regarding the circumstances that led to her brother’s death.

Meanwhile, Edward’s father, overwhelmed with unimaginable pain, condemned the silence from the school authorities, who have yet to offer any clear answers or support.

“We are giving the GES two weeks to get back to us regarding investigations on the death of my son.”

As the investigation continues, students at O’Reilly SHS were seen preparing for their WASSCE examinations, their routines now overshadowed by the recent events. Efforts to speak with the headmistress of the school were unsuccessful, as she declined to comment on the situation.

The Municipal Chief Executive for Ledzokuku, Mordecai Quashie, acknowledged the gravity of the situation, stating that the community is committed to uncovering the truth and ensuring that justice is served.

The arrest of the alleged perpetrator, a fellow final-year student, offers little solace to a family whose world has been irreversibly shattered. Beyond seeking justice, the family longs for the son, brother, and friend who will never walk through their door again.

This tragedy has cast a long shadow over what should have been a time of celebration and accomplishment. Now, all that remains are questions, grief, and a family’s desperate plea for justice.

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