A 17-year old final year student of the Mfantsipim School in Cape Coast on the night of Saturday, April 2, collapsed and died while learning to write his next West Africa Secondary School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) paper.
The student, Yoofi Amponsah Baiden, a General Arts Student, was learning at about 2200 hours, in the company of his friends for the General Science Paper, which was scheduled for Monday, April 4, 2016.
Briefing the Ghana News Agency (GNA) Mr. Bartholomew Kwame Ofori, the Acting Headmaster of the School, said the incident happened at the Bartels-Sneath House after a colorful bonfire and fireworks on the School’s field to mark this year’s Founder’s Day of the School.
He said the deceased, in the course of his study, complained of hunger and went to drink milo (beverage) and biscuits from his own chop box, with his friends, after which he returned to where they were studying.
He said shortly after his return, he started shivering and complained of a severe headache but he eventually collapsed.
Mr. Ofori said some his colleagues tried to resuscitate him by pouring water on him, while others ran to call their housemaster, who then rushed him to the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital, but Baiden was pronounced dead upon arrival.
His body has since been referred to the University of Cape Coast Hospital morgue for autopsy.
He told the GNA that the parents were immediately informed about the incident and the father went to the School, on Sunday, in apparent shock.
Mr. Ofori, however, disputed claims that Baiden’s death could have been caused by food poisoning, saying the other students who ate the same food were still healthy.
Some of Baiden’s friends and teachers told the GNA that he was as an intelligent and humble boy, and they had anticipated that he would become one of the winners of this year’s WASSCE awards.
“Baiden was very friendly,” said one of his friends. “He was quite fat but he appeared healthy so we’re all in shock”.
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