Story by Sheila Eyram Ofori (Adolescent Journalist)
A tragic incident occurred at Notre Dame Girls’ SHS at Fiapre near Sunyani where an 18-year-old final year student, Jacinta Kubi Appiah, fell unconscious and died a few hours after writing her last WASSCE paper on Wednesday June 17, 2026.
Jacinta, according to sources, had called her mother earlier on the same day to inform her that she had finally completed SHS and that she would be coming home the next day, but unfortunately she is reported to have collapsed shortly after the call and was rushed to the SDA Hospital in Sunyani where she was pronounced dead.
There are conflicting accounts about events leading to Jacinta’s painful exit. Accounts by the late student’s colleagues appear to be at variance with what the Ghana Education Service is saying.
The circumstances surrounding her death have sparked concerns among students, parents, and members of the public, with calls for a thorough investigation into the incident.
Some colleagues of the late student, who confided in this reporter, said Jacinta had on several occasions complained of severe chest pains believed to be heart-related. Sources allege that despite her recurring health concerns, school authorities declined requests to grant her exeat to seek further medical attention outside the school.
The Bono Regional Director of Education, Mr. Gabriel Kwabena Antwi, confirmed the story but explained that per the briefing by the Headmistress, the late student was not denied exeat as being speculated.
“I’m not aware that the student was denied exeat. I queried the headmistress to know whether such an incident happened and she said she (the student) was given exeat to go to the hospital”
According to him, Jacinta went to the SDA Hospital herself a day before the last paper, adding that even though the doctors had wanted to detain her for a while, she insisted to be allowed to go back to school so she could write her final paper.
“The day before writing the last paper, she was complaining that she was not feeling well so the school took her to the SDA Hospital and my understanding is that the doctor had tried to detain her but she insisted to write the last paper so she came back to the school, she wrote the paper and then after writing the paper she fell unconscious and was rushed back to the hospital, where she passed away.”
The incident has left students distressed and has raised concerns among parents about how sick students are assessed and handled by school authorities.
(Sheila Eyram Ofori is an Adolescent Journalist based in Sunyani)
