Kumasi Academy deserted following death of 3 students in 13-days
The Kumasi Academy Senior High School in the Asokore Mampong Municipality of Ashanti has been deserted following the death of three male students in thirteen days.
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The students suspect their colleagues died as a result of food poisoning but autopsy reports are yet to be issued to determine the cause of the deaths.
The three students died at separate hospitals after they each complained of not being well and were given permission to go home and get medical care.
The deaths occurred at the Tafo Trinity Hospital, Jachie Pramso Hospital and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Hospital.
The deaths were greeted with spontaneous reaction of stone-throwing by some students. The school bus and a number of street lights were vandalized on Friday.
The commotion led to shocks especially among a number of female students who were rushed to the KNUST Hospital where they were treated and discharged.
When news of the deaths got to town, panicking parents stormed the school for their wards.
Subsequently, a commotion ensued between the school’s security and parents who had insisted on taking their children home without recourse to the headmaster.
The scuffle at the entrance of the school led to a beefing up of security by police men who restored calm and prevailed on the authorities to allow parents to take their wards home.
Indeed, at the time Graphic Online visited the school on Saturday morning, some parents were still around to evacuate their wards.
With the exception of the final year students who were preparing for the WAEC exams on Monday and a few others who have internal exams to write on Wednesday, the school remained virtually empty.
The Assistant Headmaster (Academics) of the school, Ernest Wiafe, denied reports that the students died as a result of food poisoning.
‘The Municipal Health Directorate has taken over to investigate the cause of the deaths and make it public. It is now too early for anyone to conclude on the cause of the deaths,’ he said.
‘The students came individually at different times within the 13 days complaining of illness and visited different hospitals for treatment. The autopsy reports are not out yet but, I will be surprised if it is food poisoning,’ Mr Wiafe told Graphic Online.
