The Ghana National Education Campaign Coalition (GNECC) has expressed concern over what it describes as an escalating wave of indiscipline within the country’s pre-tertiary education system.
GNECC has warned that a growing trend of violence, brutality, and even murder in senior high schools threatens the core foundation of Ghana’s educational system.
In a statement on April 11, 2025, the coalition described these disturbing incidents as a reflection of systemic breakdowns within schools—spaces that are meant to nurture character, knowledge, and safety.
“Schools are increasingly becoming environments of fear and unrest,” GNECC stated.
“We must ask: What has gone wrong? Is it the erosion of values, the weakening of disciplinary structures, or the breakdown in the school-home-community relationship?”
GNECC believes the consequences of this rising indiscipline are far-reaching and require urgent, collaborative action among all stakeholders in education.
The group called on the government, parents, teachers, and religious institutions to address the crisis holistically.
To that end, GNECC has proposed a number of interventions, including:
Regular counseling services in schools to tackle emotional and psychological challenges faced by students.
Monthly counseling sessions to provide structured support systems for students.
Stronger parent-teacher partnerships to monitor and correct student behavior.
Surprise inspections and mandatory searches to deter the smuggling of prohibited items onto school premises.
Mental health awareness campaigns to support students’ psychological well-being.
The coalition also recommended the reintroduction of traditional disciplinary tools, such as Saturday inspections, which they believe were effective in maintaining order and discipline in past years.
Furthermore, GNECC urged the government to consider a collaborative management model with religious bodies that run faith-based schools.
Under this approach, the government would focus on infrastructure, salaries, and resources, while religious institutions would oversee moral instruction, discipline, and teaching standards.
“This division of labor has the potential to create a safer and more productive learning environment,” the coalition noted.
These concerns follow a tragic incident involving a student at Adventist Senior High School in Bantama, Ashanti Region—Suzie Adwoa Pinamang—who was shot in the eye by a fellow student.
AM/KA
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