Accra: Senior High School compounds, once a setting for developing responsible character, have in some cases become arenas of indiscipline. Students' acts of lawlessness are overshadowing their academic purpose, leading to wanton destruction of school properties.
According to Ghana News Agency, sporting events have degenerated into violent confrontations, with students assaulting each other. Demonstrations have resulted in dormitories losing windows, while food protests have damaged dining halls. The increase in incidents of students directly assaulting their teachers is a significant concern.
Inter-school sporting competitions, which used to be healthy rivalries, now leave many students hospitalized. In the past 18 months, seven Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the Ashanti, Central, and Greater Accra Regions have reported violence after football matches. Recently, a harmless inter-school game in Accra resulted in three students being hospitalized, with furniture used as weapons.
Investigations reveal that students' demand for quality meals is a significant factor in recurring protests. Although students deserve quality meals, the lawless behavior exhibited in protests remains a concern. Delays in payments under the Ghana School Feeding Programme have resulted in inconsistent food supply and poorly cooked meals, but these do not justify the destruction of school properties.
The incidents of students assaulting teachers are troubling. Teachers, striving to prepare students for the future, have become targets. For instance, a mathematics teacher was assaulted after confiscating a student's handset during class. In Accra, two female teachers were mobbed by students, and a headmaster in the Ashanti Region was pelted with stones for suspending students.
Discipline issues have not arisen overnight but are a result of deteriorating trust in the school's prefect system and counselors. According to Mr. Kwame Adu Twum, a tutor, disciplining students is a collective responsibility. He criticized the weaker punishments for wayward students, aggravated by political interference.
The government incurs significant costs due to the destruction of school properties, impacting funds that could be used for educational facilities. Student riots contribute to poor examination results, and while students blame the system for their failures, their actions obstruct academic progress.
Despite the seriousness of these issues, there is hope for improvement. Effective collaboration between schools, families, faith-based organizations, and the government is essential. Schools need to empower prefects and counselors to create a reliable avenue for addressing grievances. The Ghana Education Service must enforce a zero-tolerance policy for assaults on teachers and uphold discipline protocols.
For retired teacher Mr. Clement Bonsu, discipline is crucial for a school's success. He emphasized the importance of patience in training students, acknowledging that acts of indiscipline hinder their success. He urged students to prioritize dialogue over destruction to preserve their educational environment and the future of the nation.