Editorial
Increasing school indiscipline is a big concern
It is quite a concern to see how quickly school indiscipline is growing. The sooner actions are taken to stop this ailment in its tracks, the better.
In several Senior High Schools (SHSs), law and order had completely broken down, and indiscipline had spread throughout. Students today do not worry about punishment.
A youngster is sent to school to learn, but nowadays, children participate in all kinds of vices at the expense of their education, causing them countless troubles.
Students now frequently attack their peers and teachers with the slightest provocation and even go on rampages to destroy school property, which ultimately has an impact on the innocent students.
There have been reports that some students in schools practise despicable behaviours such as bullying, lesbianism, gayism, smoking, occultism, drinking and assault. Others also sneak out of class, cheat in examinations or even refuse to write exams.
An illustration of this is the recent video that went viral, in which a student from Adisadel College in Cape Coast attacked another student in the dormitory by putting his arm around his neck and slamming his head into a metal bed, severely injuring the victim’s face on one side.
At the Labone SHS, reports say that two students got into a fight, and one of them invited people to terrorise the school, a disturbing case that happened there. These are just examples of the many instances of student indiscipline that are slowly destroying society.
The Spectator is worried about the trend of indiscipline and chaos in schools.
Despite widespread outrage and condemnation, some people argued that the incident in the video was not an isolated one because similar things happen in schools frequently, but because they are not reported or recorded on video, the incident is not made public.
In reality, the incident in the video, went beyond the typical “homoing” that first-year students would usually experience as part of secondary school life.
Another specific case of disobedience was undoubtedly brought about by the student who took the video while using a cellphone inside the dorm, which is prohibited at SHS. Surprisingly, other students did not intervene instead they just stood by unconcerned.
Could it be that, in addition to the lack of infrastructure and the difficulty in feeding students, among other things that present a significant challenge to school authorities, the rising student population in schools as a result of the free SHS is making it harder for school authorities to control students?
Additionally, despite the fact that some children are stubborn, one can wonder if parents are doing a good job of raising their children at home.
What options are schools offering to discipline students who disobey rules and regulations now that corporal punishment is not used on them as per the Ghana Education Service’s (GES) directives?
Schools are being adversely affected by the Parent-Teacher Association’s (PTA) declining influence, as parents are no longer actively participating in school activities as a result of government regulations.
The Spectator urges schools to implement codes of behaviour and ethics with the necessary consequences in order to create an environment that is favourable to good teaching and learning.
The level of supervision required has grown over time, necessitating the implementation of controls to manage the vast student body. Teachers who have additional responsibilities should be well motivated to encourage them.
It is time to organise a National Stakeholders’ Forum to draw on their knowledge and brainstorm solutions to these urgent problems that will help stop similar problems from occurring in the future.
The PTAs must be looked at in order to complement teachers’ efforts because GES cannot run schools on its own. GES must provide the PTAs with the tools they need in order for them to operate effectively and contribute to the expansion of the schools.
Parents must be actively involved in the upbringing of their children to ensure that their children are raised well.
Dear Editor,
Over the past few months, the ages of some drivers of commercial vehicles continue to baffle me.
This is common during weekends when one boards any of the commercial vehicles – be it trotros and okada.
I remember, I boarded a taxi from the Accra Central area towards the Kwame Nkrumah Circle area. When I sat in the vehicle, I realised the driver was a young boy. Specifically, he said he was 18.
I know our laws do not permit youth under the age of 21 to be driving; that is clearly against Ghana’s Road Traffic laws for operating commercial vehicles.
Some commuters have even had confrontations with station masters over the issue and have refused to board vehicles driven by underage individuals, despite the risk of arriving late for work.
This situation is deeply disturbing because it puts the lives of passengers and other road users at risk.
No matter how skilled such drivers may be, allowing underage persons to operate commercial vehicles is wrong and unlawful. Laws governing road safety are meant to protect lives, and ignoring them only increases the chances of accidents and loss of lives.
I therefore urge the relevant authorities, especially the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority, to strictly enforce the age requirements for commercial driving in the country.
Baba
Labadi
The advantages of focusing on girls have been evident over the years. However, current research indicates that the statistics pertaining to boys are still declining.
Approximately 69 percent of boys and 73 percent of girls finish primary school. While Senior High School (SHS) enrollment trends have lately changed, with females significantly outnumbering males (about 110 girls to every 100 boys), Junior High School (JHS) gender parity remains stable, with the Gender Parity Index (GPI) remaining between 1.00 and 1.03.
The Gender Parity Index (GPI) indicates parity between girls and boys.
Although encouraging education for girls is essential for Ghana’s development, the strong emphasis has unintentionally led to inequalities for boys.
Many stakeholders worry that affirmative action and unequal resource distribution put males at risk, which can occasionally lead to increased dropout rates and behavioural issues in specific neighbourhoods.
There has been a lot of discussion among Ghanaian sociologists and educators about the disproportionate support given to girls and how it affects boys.
They claim that the majority of scholarships and special facilities are frequently disproportionately given to girls, which boy child advocates contend makes young men feel ignored or disadvantaged.
Due to these differences, Apostle Professor Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua, Vice Chancellor of Pentecost University, has voiced serious concerns and is pushing for a deliberate discussion about the education and development of boys in order to build stronger families and societies.
The statement was made by Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua during a seminar hosted by the Church of Pentecost Schools Outreach Ministry in Accra on May 16, which is International Day of the Boy Child.
It was organised in association with the Pentecost Men’s Ministry and the Ghana Education Service (GES) under the theme “Flourish and Thrive: Investing and Unleashing Boys for Strong Families and Communities.”
Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua revealed that many young males are vulnerable due to inadequate mentoring, a decline in schooling, negative social media influences, and emotional neglect.
Additionally, he stated that the boy child faced numerous difficulties, including aggression, substance addiction, academic decline, emotional neglect, and the lack of strong role models, as a result of the focus shifting to the girl child.
He worries that since boys are essential to the development of the country, they should not be overlooked in discussions about leadership, education, family stability, and national reform.
The Spectator agrees with Apostle Prof. Agyapong-Kodua and believes that while it is important to train girls, neglecting boys can impede social advancement by causing differences in behaviour and education between young men and women.
“If we don’t make an effort social media will train our children for us. We’re not saying they shouldn’t use social media, but we should help them get the information they need to succeed in life,” he said.
The Spectator believes that the GES would adopt gender-responsive education in order to guarantee that classroom instruction meets the requirements of both boys and girls equally.
Let’s continue to be dedicated to making sure that no child is left behind.
