President John Dramani Mahama has expressed deep concern over the growing trend of indiscipline in Senior High Schools (SHSs) across the country.
His comments echo warnings from the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), which recently decried the erosion of discipline in schools. NAGRAT has given the government an ultimatum to address the situation by the end of the month or face protective action from teachers against violent students.
Speaking during a meeting with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference at the Jubilee House on Friday, May 23, 2025, President Mahama emphasized the need for collective action to reverse the trend.
“There is a breakdown of values and morals, and that is creating some issues in our schools. There have been incidents where you find students with guns in our public schools. There is also the student who almost lost her eyesight because a student fired a gun,” he said.
The President also questioned how issues such as curriculum design, moral education, student discipline, and teacher absenteeism were being addressed.
“So, what do we do about our curriculum, moral education, discipline, and teacher absenteeism? The inspectorate division of the GES cannot be everywhere at the same time to make sure that teachers are in school,” he noted.
Mahama called for closer cooperation between the Ghana Education Service and faith-based institutions to ensure accountability and enhance monitoring.
“So, how can we collaborate with the churches and find out whether the teachers who have been posted to these schools are actually going to schools and teaching? I think collaboration will help solve the issue,” he added.
On a separate issue, President Mahama described the fight against illegal mining, known locally as galamsey, as a deeply complex challenge, exacerbated by the country’s current economic difficulties and high youth unemployment.
He observed that limited job opportunities have led many unskilled youth to engage in illegal mining activities to survive.
President Mahama also drew a distinction between galamsey and legitimate small-scale mining, stating, “Small-scale mining, when properly regulated, is not illegal.”
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