The Northern Regional Minister, Ali Adolf John, has recommended a one-week recess for students of Tolon Senior High School who were hardest hit by a recent fire that tore through the girls’ dormitory.

The proposal came after the Minister led a delegation, including the Northern Regional Director of Education and the Deputy Administrator of the GETFund, to the school to evaluate the destruction and engage management on the way forward.

The blaze, which broke out on the morning of Monday, February 2, left about 346 students displaced. Of that number, 147 students reportedly lost all their belongings after several rooms on the top floor of the dormitory were completely burnt.

During the visit, the Regional Minister voiced concern over the growing frequency of fire incidents in senior high schools across the country, describing the situation as alarming and in need of urgent preventive measures.

He explained that the short break would allow school authorities time to reorganise accommodation arrangements and put temporary solutions in place before students resume academic work.

While the Ghana National Fire Service has successfully extinguished the fire, investigations are still underway to establish what triggered the outbreak. Officials say additional support and interventions will be rolled out once a full assessment of the damage is completed.