By Benard Worlali Awumee
Tegbi (V/R), Dec. 12, GNA- Mr Ephraim Jumpah, the Vice Chairman, Southern Zone of the Pre-Tertiary Teachers Association of Ghana (PRETAG), has called on traditional authorities, parents, and education stakeholders to help in addressing the growing problem of indiscipline in pre-tertiary schools across the country.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, he said there were growing concerns by teachers and parents about what many described as deteriorating attitudes and behavioural patterns among students, particularly in basic and second-cycle institutions.
Mr Jumpah said the alarming rate at which cases of misconduct were being recorded called for a collective and decisive response from all actors within the education ecosystem.
He stressed that traditional rulers, especially the overlords and custodians of various traditional areas, possessed a unique moral authority that could be leveraged to restore discipline and reinforce core societal values among young learners.
“This is the time for our parents to rise to the occasion and ensure their wards receive the right upbringing both at home and in school.
Considering the falling standards of discipline, traditional authorities, local government heads, parents, and all education stakeholders must treat acts of indiscipline among students under their respective jurisdictions with utmost seriousness.”
Mr Jumpah who also doubles as the Assembly Member for Tegbi-Ashiata Electoral Area, expressed deep concern over recent incidents in some Senior High Schools where students reportedly attacked teachers who attempted to enforce discipline.
Some of these confrontations, he noted, had resulted in physical injuries to teachers and created hostile learning environments, undermining efforts to deliver quality education.
Mr Jumpah emphasised that schools alone could not win the fight against misconduct without the support of community leaders and families.
He urged traditional rulers to use community gatherings, durbars, and cultural platforms to reinforce the values of respect, humility, and responsible conduct, key principles deeply rooted in Ghana’s cultural heritage.
Mr Jumpah appealed to Parent-Teacher Associations (PTAs), School Management Committees (SMCs) and district education directorates to strengthen supervisory structures, intensify counselling programmes, and collaborate closely with teachers to address troubling behavioural trends before they escalate.
He also appealed to the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service, and other policymakers to reconsider certain policy decisions which, in his view, were contributing to the current challenges.
Mr Jumpah cited policies such as mass promotion, preventing the repetition of non-performing students, and the weakening of support groups like PTAs and SMCs, arguing that these developments had reduced accountability and discipline in schools.
He urged the government to reconsider the decision to eliminate punitive systems from schools, stating that appropriate, structured forms of punishment, when applied responsibly, could help restore disciplinary standards and maintain order as previously observed.
Mr Jumpah reaffirmed that restoring discipline was a shared responsibility that required a united front, continuous community engagement, and a renewed commitment from families, institutions, and policymakers.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Linda Asante Agyei