Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum has introduced stringent measures to address growing concerns about indiscipline in Ghana’s Senior High Schools (SHSs).
During the 2024 Ghana Teacher Prize awards ceremony in Kumasi, the minister laid out a plan that includes the mandatory use of testimonials for university admissions and the appointment of deans of discipline in SHSs to enforce school rules.
Dr. Adutwum’s remarks follow a tragic incident at O’Reilly Senior High School in Accra, where a student was fatally stabbed in a confrontation with a fellow student. The situation has renewed concerns about student behaviour, with teacher unions and the public calling for stricter enforcement of discipline in schools.
Addressing the audience, Dr. Adutwum emphasized the government’s zero-tolerance stance on indiscipline. He stated, “A note of caution to all students: there should be no tolerance for indiscipline in our schools, and there will be zero tolerance for indiscipline in our schools.”
He further revealed that the government is working closely with the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) and other key stakeholders to introduce policies aimed at curbing student misconduct. Among these proposals is the introduction of opportunity transfers, allowing school authorities to move students with persistent disciplinary issues to other institutions.
The minister highlighted that a student’s behaviour in SHS would impact their future academic and professional opportunities, with a testimonial on character becoming a requirement for tertiary education.
“We are going to be working with tertiary institutions, colleges of education, nursing training colleges, universities to ensure that when you are moving from high school to the university, you will provide a testimonial. You will have to secure a reference letter talking about your character. So if you go on a rampage and disrupt property, that ends your career,” he cautioned.
In addition to the testimonial requirement, Dr. Adutwum underscored the role of deans of discipline, a new position being created to oversee the enforcement of discipline in schools. “We have begun with the appointments of deans of discipline. That is a good start,” he noted, adding that these deans will work closely with school authorities to ensure compliance with rules and regulations.
He reiterated that indiscipline would not be tolerated and warned that students who cause disturbances, destroy property, or engage in violent behaviour could face severe consequences, including the termination of their academic careers.
“Indiscipline will not be tolerated anywhere in our schools… if you are proving to become a nuisance at Adisadel, we will give the school the right to do an opportunity transfer. You’ll be sent to another school,” he said.
The minister’s speech comes at a critical time, as the Ghana Education Service (GES) has already set up a committee to investigate the O’Reilly Senior High School stabbing and explore additional measures to restore discipline in SHSs across the country.