The Ministry of Education has raised alarm over a spate of fire outbreaks in Senior High Schools across Ghana’s Northern Region, with authorities now suspecting possible deliberate acts behind the incidents.
Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Abas Apaak, described the situation as deeply troubling after three separate school fires were recorded within a single week. The affected schools include the Nobisco Girls’ dormitory, Tolon Senior High School, and Pong-Tamale Senior High School.
Speaking during a visit to the affected campuses, Dr Apaak said the frequency and pattern of the fires go beyond coincidence and may point to the involvement of arsonists intentionally targeting educational institutions.
“Vigilance is important. Let’s pay attention to those who come onto our campuses. Not everyone may mean well so, that if there are some arsonists who have decided to make this their new project, we can apprehend them and then hold them accountable,” he said on Channel One on February 4, 2026.
He noted that the issue is not confined to the Northern Region alone, stressing that similar incidents have been reported in other secondary schools across the country.
“It’s becoming one too many. I mean this is only the Northern region. We’ve recorded fires in other parts of the country, in other secondary schools,” he added.
In response to the growing concern, the Deputy Minister proposed stronger inter-ministerial collaboration, calling for the Ministry of Education to work closely with the Ministry of Interior and the Ghana National Fire Service to develop proactive fire prevention strategies.
“So, I think it may be time for us as a ministry to engage the Ministry of Interior and to work with the National Fire Service so that we can come out with a strategy, a formula, a framework that would get them as experts in this area involved in the processes, so that we can be able to perhaps even preempt and take preventive action rather than retroactive action after the occurrence,” he proposed.
Dr Apaak also appealed to school authorities, students, and the general public to help protect public educational infrastructure, warning that repeated destruction of facilities undermines effective teaching and learning nationwide.
“Let’s all do our best to protect public and collective property because we need the facilities to enhance teaching and learning. So, whatever we can do to protect, let’s do that,” he said.
The fires, all of which occurred in the Northern Region, have displaced several students and destroyed personal belongings, further compounding the disruption to academic activities in the affected schools.
