The Ghana Education Service (GES) is considering stricter disciplinary measures for senior high school students involved in serious acts of misconduct, including the possibility of criminal prosecution in extreme cases, as it moves to address growing concerns over indiscipline in second-cycle institutions.
Deputy Director-General of the GES, Prof. Smile Dzisi, said the increasing cases of student misconduct have become a matter of national concern, necessitating broader stakeholder engagement to identify lasting solutions.
Speaking ahead of a national stakeholders’ conference scheduled to take place in Sunyani next week, Prof. Dzisi stressed that academic excellence alone was not enough to guarantee success in life, explaining that integrity and good character remain the foundation of responsible citizenship.
“It’s not the number of A’s or whatever results they come out with or the home they are coming from, but integrity and character will take them very, very high,” she stated.
She warned that the GES would not tolerate acts of indiscipline in schools, adding that both students who engage in misconduct and staff who facilitate or overlook such behaviour would face severe sanctions.
“We are not condoning such activities or actions at all. Any student who is caught will be severely punished, and any staff who condones such actions will also be severely punished,” Prof. Dzisi said.
According to her, the seriousness of the situation has prompted the GES to convene a major national conference in Sunyani, bringing together key stakeholders in the education sector to deliberate on the issue.
“Because we are taking this very seriously, we have a big conference in Sunyani next week. We are inviting all stakeholders. It’s very important that we meet to identify the issues, understand the causes, and agree on the way forward,” she added.
The conference is expected to bring together education authorities, school heads, teachers, parents, security agencies and other stakeholders to develop practical strategies aimed at restoring discipline, strengthening school governance and promoting positive student behaviour across senior high schools in the country.
Source: Newspyramid.com
