Editorial
Rise in indiscipline in schools is great 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, students 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 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, 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 dormitory, which is prohibited at SHS.
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 wonders 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 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.
Editorial
Fix railway crossing point on Circle-Kaneshie road
Dear Editor,
After the construction of the Kwame Nkrumah Interchange (Accra Dubai), Ghanaian were full of belief that it could solve at least a few of the problems drivers and commuters faced.
But currently, any regular user of the area would confirm that things have rather skyrocketed.
Sanitation is a big issue as the area. Traffic congestion has become something else while street lights and traffic lights in the area are nonfunctional.
Making matters worse is the regular traffic on the stretch of the Circle-Kaneshie caused by the bad nature of the railway crossing.
It is so bad that motorist are forced to slow down to cross from whichever direction they are coming from.
During the rainy season, it becomes worse as vehicles break down in the large pool of water that gathers at the place.
I wish to appeal to the Roads and Highways ministry or whichever agency is responsible for road maintenance to fix that part of the road.
As a result, public transport operators are forced to divert routes to avoid that area and in the process, causing commotion between drivers and passengers.
I feel that problem must be fixed before the rains set in. Thank you for the space.
Awuah Martin,
Kasoa, C/R
Editorial
Make celebration of Heritage Month compulsory
Heritage or Ghana Month is an annual event held in March to commemorate Ghana’s Independence and rich cultural heritage.
The event, which is celebrated across the country is gradually gaining momentum as schools and organisations have been patronising the event with various activities and programmes displaying Ghana’s rich culture.
Recently, in a vibrant display of Ghana’s culture students of Antoa Senior High School in the Ashanti Region joined forces with the Centre for National Culture (CNC) to launch the 2025 Ghana Month celebration.
According to our reporter, the event was a mixture of traditional cloth demonstrations, dance lessons, poetry recitals, and proverbs competitions as students and staff donned colourful traditional attires, showcasing their rich cultural heritage with infectious enthusiasm.
Some organisation like media houses were also not left out in the celebration of Ghana Month with Newscasters dressed in their traditional attires showcasing their culture while reading the news.
Such celebrations should be encouraged as one of the excited students of Antoa SHS exclaimed, “I never knew how rich our Ghanaian culture was until today. I’m proud to be Ghanaian.” This is a testimony of how the celebration will remind students of their roots and instill in them national values.
Ghana has so many cultures which are hidden and its time to make these cultures to project our rich Ghanaian culture to the outside world.
The Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) should collaborate with the Ghana Education Service (GES) and Ghana Dance Ensemble to make the Ghana Month more visible in schools by organising activities to educate students on Ghanaian cultural values and norms, to promote national pride and identity.
The Spectator encourages the organisers to extend the celebration to more schools. This can be done through debates, essay writing competitions, among others to share Ghana’s rich heritage. It will help to revive the cultural spirit among the youth to become ambassadors of Ghana’ culture.
GTA must also take advantage of Ghana Month and team up with the hospitality industry such as restaurants, hoteliers, Chop Bar operators, among others to organise a traditional cuisine festival like cooking and eating competitions among organisations and associations to boost tourism in Ghana. Such competitions will give people insight into the preparations of Ghanaian local foods and drinks, and promote healthy living in families. The fashion industry should also come on board to help take Ghana Month a notch higher.
In the words of the Acting Regional Director of the CNC in the Ashanti Region, Mr Peter Kofi Marfo “Let us Wear Ghana, Eat Ghana, See Ghana, Speak Ghana, Hear and Dance Ghana, together, we’ll keep our cultural flame burning bright.”
The Spectator is hopeful that by making the celebration of Ghana Month compulsory. Ghanaians will remain committed to promoting their rich culture and heritage, for future generations.
