Student Unrest in the Upper East region: A Growing Threat to Education and Development

The recent closure of the Bolgatanga Technical Institute after yet another student riot has left many wondering: Why is the Upper East Region gradually becoming known for violent disturbances rather than its rich culture, peace, and developmental potential?

I have lived and worked in the Upper East for close to six years, and in every academic term, I have witnessed or heard of not less than three schools experiencing riots. What should be institutions of learning and discipline are increasingly turning into breeding grounds for chaos and destruction. It is heartbreaking.

The Upper East Region is naturally serene. With its numerous irrigation dams, fertile land, and hardworking people, it has all the ingredients to become a hub for agricultural ventures and other forms of progress. Yet, these prospects are being derailed by recurring conflicts, chieftaincy disputes, the protracted Bawku conflict, and now, the alarming wave of student riots. The region is bleeding, not from lack of resources or human capital, but from internal disturbances that dent its reputation and slow its growth.

The chronic violence in Bawku already gives the region a bad name. Must our schools now add to this negative profile? Each riot forces schools to shut down, academic calendars to be disrupted, and young people to lose valuable classroom hours. These are the very young people whose education we depend on for future leadership and national development.

What is most worrying is that these riots keep recurring because there are hardly any punitive measures that serve as real deterrents. Students who engage in violent protests often go unpunished or are met with half-hearted sanctions, which embolden others to repeat the same mistakes. Without strict accountability, indiscipline festers.

But punitive measures alone will not solve the problem. Chiefs, educators, religious leaders, and all stakeholders in the region must take collective responsibility. We need community dialogue, proactive counselling sessions in schools, and structures that allow students to air their grievances peacefully. Let us engage them before frustration pushes them into destructive behaviour.

Education is too important to be toyed with. If we allow riots to continue unchecked, we will not only derail academic progress but also crush the dreams of countless young people who deserve better. The Upper East was once admired for its tranquillity and resilience. It is time to reclaim that reputation and ensure that schools once again become safe spaces for learning, not hotspots for violence.

The region has too much potential to waste on conflict. The future of our youth, and indeed the progress of the entire nation, depends on how we act today.

Ghanaians are watching!!!
FAB's Gist.