Education expert calls for action on indiscipline in schools

By Francis Ntow, GNA

Accra, Sept 2, GNA – Professor Eugene Kofuor Maafo Darteh, an education expert, has called for swift coordinated action among heads of second-cycle schools, teachers, parents and old students to address rising “crisis” of indiscipline.

This includes indiscipline, captured by the Ghana Education Service (GES) report of 16 per cent case increase and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) report of over 40 per cent bullying among Senior High School (SHS) students.

Other notified issues of concern in various second cycle institutions include attacks on teachers and colleagues, smoking, wielding of weapons, gambling, and operating Ponzi schemes.

Prof. Darteh attributed the insubordination to several interconnected factors – erosion of teacher authority coupled with teachers’ being increasingly afraid to enforce school rules for fear of backlash from political actors, parents, and media.

He also cited a breakdown of family structures and values, outsourcing moral guidance entirely to school authorities and house-helps, social media and peer pressure as contributing factors to the rise in indiscipline.

He spoke at the 2025 commemoration of the Feast of St. Augustine in Accra, organised by Old Students of the St. Augustine’s College, on the theme: “Dealing with the Scourge of Rising Indiscipline in Our Second-Cycle Institutions: The Way Forward.”

The professor with the Department of Population and Health, University of Cape Coast, said the rate of vandalism, examination malpractices, and physical assaults on teachers and students were ‘disturbing,’ calling for urgent actions.

“Ultimately, these lead to the production of citizens who are ill-prepared to make positive contributions to national development,” he cautioned, drawing on the wisdom of educator Dr. Kwegyir Aggrey who said, “the surest way to destroy a nation is to educate the minds of the youth but not their hearts.”

He called for a renewed commitment to moral and civic education, arguing that ethics and values must be integrated into every subject and school activity, adding that, “our education must not only touch the minds of the learners but also their hearts.”

The professor called for empowerment of teachers and school administrators with clear legal backing, autonomy to implement discipline fairly without external interference, and adequate training in adolescent psychology.

He encouraged that Parent-Teacher Association meetings went beyond fundraising and be used as genuine dialogue platforms on student behaviours and parenting strategies to enhance collaborative efforts to address indiscipline in second cycle schools.

He also called for mandatory workshops on digital citizenship, arguing that simply banning mobile phones is not sustainable, adding that “a nation whose young people are not disciplined is on the path of failure. Let us act and act now. The future of our nation depends on it.”

Reverend Fr. Dr. Patrick Godfred Appiah, Headmaster, St. Augustine’s College, underscored the interdependence between academic excellence and discipline, calling for the establishment of clear rules and consequences.

“By constantly reminding students of these rules and the consequences of not adhering to them, schools can promote a sense of responsibility and accountability among students,” he said.

He also called for the implementation of counselling programmes, peer mediation, and restorative justice practices, which would help students develop empathy, resolve conflicts, and take responsibility for their actions.

GNA

Edited by George-Ramsey Benamba