GES suspends classes at Accra Newtown school after deadly building collapse

• Posted on March 30, 2026March 30, 2026
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has ordered students to stay away from the Accra Newtown Experimental D/A School following the collapse of a nearby building, which claimed three lives and left 20 others injured.

GES Director-General, Prof Ernest Kofi Davis, who spoke after a security briefing at the school, said the service will hold an emergency meeting to determine the next steps.

He emphasised that students must not return until the safety of all school structures is fully verified.

“We are going to work with the regional and national teams, including the estate department, to ensure that the remaining structures are safe for use. If they are not, we will advise students to avoid those areas,” Prof Davis told Citi FM.

The incident occurred on Sunday, 29 March 2026, when an uncompleted four-storey building near the school, reportedly used as a makeshift church, collapsed during a worship gathering.

The Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) reported the emergency at 5:01 p.m., with rescue teams arriving within minutes to begin search and recovery operations.

A total of 23 people, including three minors, were trapped in the debris, of whom 20 were rescued and taken to the hospital for treatment.

The three confirmed fatalities, comprising two females and one male, have been handed over to the police for further investigation.

The collapse has raised serious concerns about the safety of school infrastructure in the area, prompting urgent assessments to prevent future tragedies.