It Is Not Our Intent To Train Criminals – Owass Headmaster

Headmaster of Opoku Ware Secondary School in Kumasi, Rev Fr. Stephen Owusu Sekyere, has described as unfortunate, the robbery incident involving some students of the school.

Three final year students of the school are facing the law for allegedly attempting to hijack a taxi at knife-point in Kumasi.

The boys, between the ages of 17 and 19 years, patronized the services of a cab driver under the pretext of travelling to the Lancaster Kumasi City Hotel. They impressed on the driver to hand over his ignition keys to them as they neared their destination.

But a struggle for the keys ensued between students and the driver. This attracted onlookers from a nearby club who rescued the driver.

Rev Fr Owusu Sekyere however says it is not the intent of the school’s Management to produce ‘criminals’ into the society.

He stressed that his students are indoctrinated with catholic virtues to become responsible adults.

“It is very unfortunate,” he said. “We don’t have any intentions of training criminals in our schools but it happened. When it happens we have to take steps. It is not the way of life of the school. It is out of the vision and mission of the school. That is not what we do at Opoku Ware School. It is a Catholic school and we train our students to be gentlemen in the country. This incidence is one out of a million”.

Speaking on  on Luv FM monitored by wontumionline.com, Rev Fr Owusu indicated he was surprised at the attitude of the suspects and assured of psychological help for them.

“We still feel these are boys who need help. So we pray for them and will always give them the help they need. If we get the chance to see them again, we will help them get out of that kind of behavior. It is not a kind of situation we cannot do anything about. We will keep on trying to shape them. If we don’t, it will come back haunting us,” he added.

In attempts to alleviate the growing social vices perpetrated by senior high school students, the Ashanti Regional Police Command has been sensitizing schools in the region on the consequences of illegal behaviors.