GES Suspends Classes at Accra Newtown Experimental D/A School After Tragic Building Collapse
In a heartbreaking incident that has sent shockwaves through Accra’s education community, the Ghana Education Service (GES) has officially suspended all classes at the Accra Newtown Experimental D/A School (also known as Experimental Basic School or JHS). The directive follows the sudden collapse of an uncompleted four-storey building within the school premises on Sunday, March 29, 2026.
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The structure, long abandoned and reportedly converted into a makeshift church, crumbled during what appears to have been a Palm Sunday worship service, trapping dozens of worshippers. Rescue operations continued into the night, with heavy machinery and emergency teams working tirelessly to save lives.
The Uncompleted Building That Became a Death Trap
Eyewitnesses and officials describe a chaotic scene as the building gave way around 4:30–5:00 p.m. on Sunday. The four-storey structure described by some as 14 years old and visibly dilapidated was never completed and had been unofficially used by a local church group for services. Local residents and first responders, including civilians, began rescue efforts with bare hands before professional teams arrived.
By Monday morning, the confirmed toll stood at three deaths (two females and one male) and 20 people rescued and hospitalized, among them minors. The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS), National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Police, and National Ambulance Service coordinated the operation, using faint cries from under the rubble to locate survivors.
GES Acts Swiftly: “Students Must Stay Away” Speaking to Citi News on Monday, March 30, 2026, after a high-level briefing with security officials at the school, GES Director-General Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis announced the immediate suspension of classes.
“We are going to work with the regional and the national team, so we will work with the estate department to ensure that the other structure is indeed fit for that purpose. If they are not, we will advise the students not to go into such areas,”
Prof. Davis stated. He confirmed that an emergency meeting would be convened to map out the next steps, emphasizing that no student will return until full safety assurances are in place.
The decision has been widely welcomed as a responsible move to prioritize the lives of children and staff. A security guard at the school was quoted expressing relief that the collapse happened on a Sunday rather than a school day, noting that students sometimes used parts of the building for exams or study.
High-Level Government Response
Senior government officials moved quickly. Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, Greater Accra Regional Minister Linda Ocloo, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, and even Vice President Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang visited the site to assess the situation and reassure residents.
A Wake-Up Call for School Infrastructure Safety This tragedy has reignited long-standing concerns about the safety of school buildings across Ghana, particularly in urban areas like Accra where rapid development sometimes outpaces proper maintenance and oversight. Abandoned or uncompleted structures on school compounds have occasionally been repurposed informally, creating hidden risks.
Education experts and child-rights advocates are now calling for:
- A nationwide audit of all public school infrastructure.
- Strict enforcement against unauthorized use of school premises.
- Faster action on dilapidated buildings flagged by the GES Estate Department.
The incident also highlights the vulnerability of communities that rely on schools not just for education but as community spacessometimes at a deadly cost.
Condolences and Moving Forward
Our hearts go out to the families who lost loved ones and to those still recovering in hospital. The bravery of first responders, local residents who dug through rubble with their bare hands, and the coordinated emergency services deserves recognition.
As Prof. Davis and the GES work with stakeholders to secure the rest of the Accra Newtown Experimental D/A School campus, parents, teachers, and students will be watching closely. Safety must never be an afterthought in our schools.
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