A peace ceremony meant to reconcile students of Bawku Senior High School and Bawku Technical Institute turned violent on Tuesday, February 25, leaving at least five students with severe injuries and several others with minor wounds.
The event, held at Bawku Technical Institute, was a collaborative effort between school authorities and the Kpalwega traditional rulers to put an end to the recurring clashes between the two schools.
As part of the peace process, traditional leaders introduced the symbolic burial of an okra stick, a ritual intended to foster harmony between the students. However, tensions unexpectedly escalated, leading to chaos as students from both institutions began hurling stones at each other, disrupting the ceremony and causing injuries.
The Bawku Divisional Police Command swiftly intervened to restore order, while the injured students were transported to Quality and Vineyard hospitals for medical attention.
Despite the violent outbreak, school authorities and officials from the Ghana Education Service (GES) proceeded with the planned ritual, successfully completing it with the participation of senior prefects from both schools.