The Ghana Education Service (GES) is considering tougher disciplinary measures, including the possibility of criminal prosecution, for Senior High School (SHS) students who engage in serious acts of indiscipline, particularly those involving the destruction of school property.
The Service says while parents may be held financially or legally responsible in certain circumstances, students whose actions amount to criminal offences could also be referred to the country’s criminal justice system.
The move comes amid growing concern over increasing cases of vandalism, violence and other forms of misconduct in some second-cycle institutions across the country.
Deputy Director-General of the GES, Professor Smile Dzisi, said the Service is determined to strengthen discipline in schools while ensuring that students, parents and school staff are held accountable for their respective roles in maintaining order.
Speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of the 86th anniversary celebration of Odorgonno Senior High School, Prof. Dzisi revealed that the GES will convene a national stakeholder engagement in Sunyani, the Bono Regional capital, next week to examine the underlying causes of student indiscipline and develop practical strategies to reverse the trend.
The forum is expected to bring together education officials, school heads, teachers, parents, security agencies and other key stakeholders to review existing disciplinary measures and recommend more effective interventions.
According to Prof. Dzisi, the Service is prepared to explore every available legal and administrative option to ensure students are held responsible for serious acts of misconduct.
She stressed that while parents may bear responsibility in some instances, students involved in extreme cases—particularly those resulting in extensive damage to school property or other criminal acts—may face prosecution under Ghana’s laws.
“Any student that will be caught will be severely punished. Or any staff that will be caught condoning such actions will be severely punished. It’s important to agree on the way forward,” she stated.
The GES also warned that members of staff who encourage, facilitate or fail to address acts of indiscipline could face disciplinary sanctions, reinforcing the Service’s commitment to promoting accountability at every level of the education system.
The proposed measures form part of broader efforts by the GES to restore discipline in senior high schools and create a safer, more conducive environment for teaching and learning.
Meanwhile, authorities at Odorgonno Senior High School have appealed for support to address critical infrastructure challenges affecting academic work.
The school is seeking assistance to construct a modern science laboratory, as it currently uses its dining hall for practical science lessons.
School authorities say the arrangement has led to the frequent breakage of laboratory equipment, limited access to practical sessions and disrupted effective science instruction.
The school is also grappling with the lack of a dedicated practical centre for Visual Arts students, making it difficult for learners to undertake hands-on training required under the curriculum.
Headmaster Patrick Mensah appealed to government agencies, corporate organisations, alumni and philanthropists to support the school in providing the facilities needed to improve teaching and learning.
He noted that investing in science and technical education infrastructure would not only enhance students’ academic experience but also help prepare them with the practical skills needed for higher education and the job market.
The appeals were made during activities marking the school’s 86th anniversary, where stakeholders renewed calls for sustained investment in educational infrastructure alongside efforts to strengthen discipline across Ghana’s senior high schools.
Source: Wesleyannews.com
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