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The opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) has said it was unnecessary for the head teachers of schools whose pupils were said to have joined in the chanting of slogans at last week’s 'Wongbo' demonstration to be punished.

According to the party, the school pupils spontaneously responded to the chants as the demonstrators passed by their schools and hence it was needless for their heads to be punished for this.

The General Secretary of the NPP, Mr Kwabena Agyapong in an interview with Atinka FM Monday morning said there was nothing the head teachers could have done when the pupils spontaneously responded to the demonstrators as they passed by.

He debunked claims that the pupils were part of the demonstrations and that they followed the demonstration.

“It was a spontaneous reaction and I think the government is well aware of that. It is not true that any school child took part in the demonstration.”

He said if the pupils surged forward to catch a glimpse of the demonstrators and the NPP’s flagbearer, it does not mean that they participated in the demonstration. 

A number of school children out of their classroom, apparently on break, Wednesday ‘joined’ in the “Wongbo” demonstration organised by the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Wearing their school uniforms of Yellow and blue trimmings, the children jumped and responded to chants by a demonstrator who shouted “Mahama”, to which the children responded “dumsor.”

According to Mr Agyapong, in instances like this, the head teachers cannot be faulted when the school was by the road side.

He said it was not necessary for government to be meddling in this; rather it should concentrate on more important issues such as the concerns on the energy problems which were raised by the demonstrators.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) after preliminary investigations last week cautioned four head teachers who were said to have allowed their pupils to take part in the demonstration..

Mr Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, a Deputy Minister of Education in charge of Tertiary, said on Radio Gold at the weekend that the four head teachers admitted guilt and apologised after being queried, but said the GES was looking “into the matter so that full disciplinary action will be carried out.”

The four heads were named as Ernestina Ofori Atta of Liberty Avenue 1 and 4 primary; Robert Amankra, Liberty Avenue 3 primary; Christiana Hanson Nortey, Mantse Tackie 1 primary; and Lucy Kanyaguay Adego of the Ernest Brew Memorial Basic School.

“We are doing this not because we want to victimise anybody, but we want to ensure that all policy and guidelines are respected by all, that our children are safe and are protected. The head teachers themselves admit that what went on was totally unacceptable,” Mr Ablakwa said.

The apology letter of the four read in part: “We wish to render our sincere apology for our inability to prevent some pupils and students in our various schools in responding to slogans from the demonstrators.”

"This unfortunate situation occurred when the pupils and students were on break. We promise that next time if there is any such demonstrations we will ensure that the children are kept in their classrooms."

Thousands of demonstrators responded to calls by the leadership of the NPP to mass up at the Nkrumah Circle to march through some principal streets of Accra to protest government’s handling of the energy crisis.

They marched behind a police cordon and passed in front of the Rev. Ernest Bruce Memorial Methodist Church, Adabraka where the school children joined in the chants