By Michael Foli Jackidy
Ho (V/R), Oct. 24, GNA – Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, has attributed the poor performance of candidates in the 2026 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) to indiscipline, excessive social media use and inadequate parental supervision.
He said the situation required a holistic approach involving parents, teachers, traditional authorities and education policymakers to address the underlying challenges affecting academic performance.
Togbe Tepre Hodo made the remarks in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Ho on Friday, following discussions about the region’s poor WASSCE results during a sitting of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs.
He said his observations followed a recent conference involving heads of Senior High Schools at Mawuli School, where participants discussed factors contributing to declining educational standards.
He explained that indiscipline in schools could not be addressed in isolation, as children carried attitudes and behaviours acquired at home into the classroom, which could worsen if not properly managed.
The traditional ruler expressed concern that some students were increasingly distracted by social media platforms, including TikTok and Facebook, at the expense of their studies.
He questioned why young adolescents were allowed unrestricted access to such platforms, saying excessive use of social media could undermine their concentration, study habits and academic progress.
“We need a structured and disciplined society,” he said, adding that the broader decline in social discipline, including irresponsible behaviour in public spaces, reflected challenges that also affected the school environment.
Togbe Tepre Hodo said efforts to improve academic performance must therefore extend beyond schools to include stronger parental responsibility and the promotion of discipline at home.
He also called for a national discussion on appropriate disciplinary measures in schools, arguing that teachers should be able to correct misconduct through lawful and reasonable means.
He maintained that discipline did not necessarily mean corporal punishment, suggesting that other corrective measures, including assigning students appropriate duties, could help instill responsibility and respect for authority.
The President of the House of Chiefs expressed concern about situations in which parents challenged teachers for disciplining their children, warning that such actions could undermine teachers’ authority and make it difficult to maintain order in schools.
He said parents had a responsibility to support teachers by ensuring that children were properly guided at home, rather than leaving the entire burden of discipline to educational institutions.
Togbe Tepre Hodo acknowledged that stakeholders held differing views on school discipline but urged them to consider approaches that would promote responsible behaviour and improve learning outcomes.
He said the House of Chiefs intended to establish an education committee to engage the Ghana Education Service (GES) and make recommendations on measures to improve educational standards in the region.
The committee, he explained, would examine education policies and implementation challenges, with the aim of proposing practical measures to address the situation.
He, however, stressed that such efforts would only yield results if the relevant authorities considered and acted on the recommendations.
He called on all stakeholders to treat the situation as a shared responsibility and work together to reverse the trend.
The traditional ruler said improving educational outcomes required sustained cooperation among parents, teachers, students, traditional authorities and government institutions.
He urged the public to reflect on the causes of the poor results and support practical interventions to restore discipline, strengthen teaching and learning, and protect the future of students in the Volta Region.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah