The Ministry of Education has expressed deep sorrow over the tragic loss of seven students from Lawra Senior High School who died in a canoe accident on the morning of Saturday, June 14, 2025.
The students, members of the school’s cadet corps, were reportedly on a morning jogging routine when they attempted to cross the Black Volta River near Dikpe into Burkina Faso. The canoe they boarded capsized midway through the journey.
According to confirmation from the Upper West Regional Minister and the Member of Parliament for Lawra, three of the ten students on board were rescued, while seven sadly lost their lives. The bodies which include five girls and two boys were retrieved by emergency teams from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Ghana Police Service, and the Ghana Education Service.
In a statement signed by Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, the Ministry conveyed its condolences to the bereaved families and the entire school community.
“We share in the grief of the affected families and the entire school community. Our thoughts and prayers are with them in this extremely difficult time,” Dr. Apaak said.
The Minister for Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, has instructed the Director General of GES to convene an urgent meeting with the Regional and District Directors of Education, as well as the Headmaster of the school, to investigate the incident and report back promptly.
The Ministry assured the public of its continued commitment to student safety, adding that a full report is expected from the Ghana Police Service in the coming days.
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