The Ministry of Education has expressed profound sorrow following the tragic drowning of seven students from Lawra Senior High School on Saturday, June 14, 2025. The incident occurred when a canoe, carrying ten members of the school’s cadet corps, capsized on the Black Volta River.
In a statement released on Sunday, June 15, and signed by Deputy Minister of Education and Member of Parliament, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, the Ministry confirmed the heartbreaking details. The students were attempting to cross the river near Dikpe, situated along the Ghana–Burkina Faso border, as part of their routine morning jog.
The ill-fated canoe tragically overturned midstream, leading to the immediate deaths of two boys and five girls. Miraculously, three students survived the calamitous incident.
The Ministry further confirmed that information received from the Member of Parliament for Lawra and the Upper West Regional Minister indicates that a joint rescue operation has successfully recovered the bodies of all seven students. This collaborative effort involved personnel from the Ghana Education Service (GES), the Ghana Police Service, and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO).
In the wake of this tragedy, Minister of Education Haruna Iddrisu has issued a directive for an emergency meeting. The headmaster of Lawra SHS, along with the Regional and District Directors of Education, are to convene with the Director-General of the GES to thoroughly investigate the circumstances surrounding the incident. A detailed report is expected to be submitted soon.
“We share in the grief of the affected families and the entire school community,” the Ministry’s statement read, conveying heartfelt condolences. “Our thoughts and prayers are with them during this extremely difficult time.”
The Ministry also took the opportunity to reassure the public of its unwavering commitment to ensuring student safety across all educational institutions. It stated that it is awaiting the formal report from the Ghana Police Service, which will be crucial in determining the appropriate next steps and preventive measures.
Read the full statement below
PRESS STATEMENT
June 15, 2025
Ministry of Education Consoles Families of Seven Lawra SHS Who Perished in Canoe Accident
On behalf of the Minister of Education, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu and government, I convey our deep shock and saddeness to the families of the seven students of Lawra Senior High School who lost their lives in a tragic boat incident on the morning of Saturday, June 14, 2025.
In an unexpected and heartbreaking turn of events, ten students from the school’s cadet corps, during a routine morning jogging exercise, reportedly attempted to cross the Black Volta River near Dikpe into Burkina Faso. The canoe they joined tragically capsized midway through the journey.
We have confirmation through the Upper West Regional Minister and the Member of Parliament for Lawra that three of the ten students were rescued while seven drowned. The bodies of the seven students who lost their lives, five girls and two boys, have since been retrieved by teams from National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), the Ghana Police Service, and the Ghana Education Service.
The Honorable Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu has instructed the Director General of the Ghana Education Service to convene an urgent meeting with the Regional and District Directors of Education and the Headmaster of the school and to report back urgently.
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. As the Ministry awaits a full report from the Ghana Police Service, we wish to assure Ghanaians that we will continue to do our best to ensure the safety and security of our students.
Signed.
Dr. Clement Abas Apaak
MP, and Deputy Minister of Education
