Educationist Blames Indiscipline and Weak School Structures for Rising Student Misconduct
Story: Maurice Otoo
An educationist, David Ofori Acheampong, has attributed the growing incidents of student indiscipline in schools to weakened school structures and the sidelining of traditional disciplinary measures.
Reacting to recent developments at Swedru in a zoom interview on Kessben Maakye,he referenced an incident where students from Frafraha Senior High invaded West Africa Senior High School (WASS), and assaulted their teachers and described the situation as worrying and called for urgent reforms to restore discipline in educational institutions.
According to him, indiscipline among students has become a serious challenge, stressing that authorities must not ignore the underlying causes. He noted that teachers and headmasters have increasingly been stripped of the authority to enforce strict disciplinary measures, including corporal punishment, which he believes once helped shape students’ moral upbringing.
“We have been talking about the abolition of corporal punishment and its impact on moral development in our schools,” he stated, arguing that the structure of the school system does not currently empower teachers to effectively discipline students.
Mr. Acheampong further observed that some students involved in recent disturbances were able to regroup within the school and even mobilize support from their peers, creating further unrest. He warned that if such behaviour is not decisively addressed, it could persist and escalate.
He called for a thorough investigation into recent incidents and urged that appropriate sanctions be applied where necessary to serve as a deterrent to others.
The educationist emphasized that while corporal punishment remains a controversial issue, discipline in schools must not be compromised. He maintained that teachers should be allowed to apply firm but lawful measures to maintain order and instill respect.
He appealed to stakeholders in the education sector to prioritize discipline alongside academic excellence to safeguard the future of students and restore confidence in the country’s educational system.
