A number of demonstrating trainee teachers of the Wesley College of Education in Kumasi have been set upon by the police and lashed Tuesday morning.
The students were demonstrating against what they say are deliberate policies by college authorities to sack some of them.
The students say a new policy in place at the college stipulates that students who are referred in examinations are to pack out and go home.
They claim they have been lured by the school authorities to pay huge school fees before being told the policy is in effect. They are also peeved they had to make huge sacrifices to pay the fees especially after their allowances were cancelled in what they suspect to be part of the IMF conditionalities for bailing the national economy out.
Although it was a peaceful demonstration, the police for no apparent reason subjected some of the students to severe beating while they were singing. Several of them bore marks and bruises of the police assault, and but for the timely intervention of the students leaders, the situation could have been more chaotic. Others who could not join the demonstration were also seen shedding tears.
Strangely, some female students who were washing and were not part of the demonstration were also subjected to the beating by the police.
The needless reaction of the police has put fear in some of the students especially the females.
The Principal of the Diploma awarding College, Eric Famiyeh however told Graphic Online that the policy was not new and that it was a requirement by the University of Cape Coast to which the college was affiliated.
