Human rights lawyer, Chetam Nwala, has accused the management of Wisdom Gate International School of attempting to influence authorities and public opinion in a bid to secure the reopening of the institution following the death of a toddler on its premises.
Nwala, who is representing the family of the deceased child, Wynne Akekue, made the allegations while reacting to a press engagement reportedly organised by the school management with selected parents. According to him, the move was aimed at passing a vote of confidence on the school’s facilities and mounting pressure on the Ministry of Education to lift the closure order.
He further alleged that the school had reached out to the offices of the Governor and Deputy Governor in an effort to compel the Commissioner for Education to approve the reopening, a move he insisted would be resisted through lawful means.
The lawyer also raised concerns over what he described as a lack of proper parental oversight within the institution, claiming that the school had operated for years without a functional Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), particularly at the campus where the incident occurred. He added that communication channels such as the parents’ WhatsApp group were tightly controlled by the school management.
Nwala accused the school of prioritising business interests over the welfare of its pupils, warning that any attempt to pressure education authorities would be met with legal opposition. He also cautioned parents supporting the school’s reopening to consider the broader implications, noting that the pursuit of justice in the case could affect any family in the future.
Efforts to reach the management of Wisdom Gate International School for comments were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report.
The parents of the late Wynne Akekue had earlier called for a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding their child’s death, alleging inconsistencies in the school’s account and claiming they had been pressured to drop the matter.
