TEARS FLOW FOR SLAINED OKESS' FINAL YR STUDENT AT MEMORIAL SERVICE

It was all tears, wailing and lamentation as a memorial service has been held at the Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School at Tafo in the Ashanti region in honour of the late Master Godfred Arthur, the final year student who was murdered by intruders to the school last week.

 Among patrons of the Memorial Service were the Deputy Minister in charge of Pre-Tertiary Education, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum and relatives of the late student.

The Victim

Seventeen year old Master Godfred Kobina Arthur, was admitted to the Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School at Old Tafo in the Tafo Municipality of Ashanti in November 2015 where he was pursuing General Arts. 

He met his untimely death on Wednesday, the 9^th of this month. He was stabbed twice in his neck by a member of a gang of armed robbers who invaded the school’s premises at about 10 pm on that fateful day causing him to bleed profusely and subsequently gave up the ghosts at a private hospital at Pankrono.

Unfortunately, the late Master Arthur was preparing for his final Paper, Integrated Science, in the ongoing West Africa Secondary Schools Certificate Examinations, WASSCE. 

The circumstance of his death resulted in a spontaneous grief among the rank and file of the school.

The Memorial Service

Today’s Memorial Service organized by management of OKESS, was to commemorate One Week of his passing away. 

It was attended by his relatives, Deputy Minister in charge of Education, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum, Regional Director of Education, Mrs. Mary Owusu Achiaw, members of the Board of Governors, teaching and non-teaching staff as well as continuing students. 

It was indeed, a solemn occasion as both the old and young could not hold back their tears especially anytime a song or hymnal was being sang by the congregation led by the school choir. 

In a sermon, the Chaplain of OKESS, Reverend Father, Emmanuel Idun Ofori, emphasized that even though death is inevitable for everyone, its circumstances including time and circumstances of occurrence remain a mystery hence people should lead lives worthy of eternal glory. 

Rev. Fr. Ofori was very hopeful that despite the physical demise of Master Arthur, the boy is already finding peaceful rest with the Lord in Heaven and therefore consoled the students, staff of OKESS and the bereaved family.

The Assistant Headmaster of OKESS in charge of Academics, Alfred Austin described the late Godfred Arthur as an above-average performing student who was also very respectful, dutiful and disciplined endearing him to all and sundry in the school. He described the late Master Arthur as ‘a beautiful flower cut at its prime.’

The Deputy Minister of Education, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum, on behalf of the Minister of Education and Ghana Education Service, expressed condolences to the bereaved family and also the school. 

He assured that Master Arthur’s death will not be in vain as it serve as the rallying point for government to lead the charge to ensure that all school environments become safe and secured for conducive teaching and learning to take place. 

He said the Ministry has been well appraised of the security and staffing situation at OKESS and promised that government will provide a solution to those problems.

 Key among the issues requiring immediate answers, Dr. Adutwum stressed is the ‘need to complete the school’s fence wall.’ He said catchment communities of schools also have a role to ensure that students are always safe and secured from attacks.

In an interview with Ashanti Today later, the mother of the late Godfred Arthur, Madam Helena Arthur, expressed serious concern about the circumstances of his son’s death. ‘How could armed robbers invade a school and kill a student when there are security people around?’ she wondered.

 ‘I am sure if the teachers living on this campus had not shown indifferent for a security man to later offer Aboboyaa to convey my son to hospital, Owuraku would have survived’, the grief-stricken bereaved mother lamented.

The late Godfred Arthur will be buried on the 26^th of this month at Obuasi.

The body will be first laid in state at the Ofori Park for well wishers to pay their last respect before the interment.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minister in charge of Pre-Tertiary Education, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum said he will confer with management of the Ghana Education Service to determine the form of support to offer the bereaved family in bidding their late beloved child a befitting farewell.