Mr Haruna Iddrisu, the Minister for Education, has called for stern disciplinary action against students involved in the Bolgatanga Technical Institute (BOTECH) riots to serve as deterrent to other students.
The disturbance began on August 14, and continued into the early hours of Friday, August 15, 2025 when management suspended five students for acts of indiscipline, and three additional students who knew they could be the next to be suspended, disconnected electricity supply to the school, set the library ablaze and destroyed other school properties.
Following the chaos, which led to several injuries, the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) indefinitely closed the school to restore calm and allow for thorough investigations.
Mr Iddrisu called for the disciplinary action during a meeting with staff and management of the institute as part of his working visit to some selected schools in the Region to observe at first-hand challenges of the schools.
He noted that the phrase “future leaders” would only have meant if students were groomed with values of integrity and discipline, and admonished teachers not to compromise on discipline in schools.
“So, I urge you teachers, don’t be compromising when it comes to discipline. You have the full support of the State,” Mr Iddrisu, also a Member of Parliament (MP) for the Tamale South Constituency said.
He assured management and staff of the institute that the Mahama-led-government would not interfere in the management of academic institutions saying, “We have faith and confidence in you and your leadership, so don’t let us down,” he added.
He said the Ministry was interested in the outcome of the investigations into the disturbance and gave a two-week ultimatum to a committee investigating the issue to come out with results.
“So, within the next 14 days, I want to see some urgent disciplinary action been meted out without fear or favour on this matter. You cannot take the law into your own hands and walk free.
“My coming here should have been to just assess your infrastructure then happily as I observe, I would have promised that I will give you a new library. But I cannot give you a library in response to a self-inflicted conflict of indiscipline,” he said.
The Minister after the meeting, proceeded to the Zamse Senior High Technical School where he held a similar meeting with management and staff, and interacted with students.
He also visited the girls’ dormitory and two uncompleted structures constructed in 1970 by the late General Ignatius Kutu Acheampong, a former Head of State.
Mr Iddrisu said one of the structures should be converted to a girls’ dormitory and the other a teachers’ hostel saying, “I have asked the Regional Minister and the Architectural and Engineering Services Limited (AESL) to conduct a structural engineering test to see the integrity of the building.
“From 1970 up to date, we don’t want to risk lives of students by just completing it. But we may adopt it and complete it as additional dormitory for the girls so that they have an expanded facility here,” he said.