Gabon acts over school of shame

President Bongo issued the sacking orders

Senior staff at Gabon's largest school have been sacked after a probe revealed widespread prostitution and fraud.

Gabon's President Omar Bongo stepped in to sack the head of the school and eight other teachers following the release of a damning report.

The high school in Libreville, which was named after Africa's long serving leader, was closed down in January after four days of riots by students.

Investigations at the Omar Bongo school found it was "seriously dysfunctional".

'Collapsed system'

"Almost everybody has been changed as punishment following the scandalous revelations about the college," an official from the education ministry told AFP news agency.

Last week Education Minister Daniel Ona Ondo said the school had serious problems, with poor teaching, broken equipment and classes.

"We have to take another look at the way we behave, right down to the core unit of the family, we have to dig everywhere because, if we don't, the school system will collapse" said Mr Ona Ondo.

Government investigations at the school with 6,000 students have revealed that students offered bribes and sexual favours in exchange for good grades.

The report says that organised gangs roamed freely on the school premises and bars serving alcoholic drinks were operating within the establishment.

Some other staff at the school have been demoted.