Richard Akumbase, President of the Upper East Regional branch of the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), has emphasized that the recent incident at O’Reilly Senior High School, which led to the death of a final-year general arts student, is a grave issue requiring immediate attention.
He highlighted the role of teachers, particularly those on duty, in maintaining discipline, noting that their responsibility is crucial in managing students’ behavior.
“The first line of action is that there are teachers who are on duty. The reason we assign them this role is to ensure they lead in maintaining discipline. I often tell teachers that everyone is on duty, but for the sake of responsibility, we appoint specific individuals to lead in discipline,” he explained.
Despite this, he acknowledged that managing large student numbers presents significant challenges for effective supervision. “We need to establish limits on student numbers to ensure proper supervision,” he added.
Akumbase also pointed out the increasing prevalence of drug issues among students, attributing part of the problem to insufficient parental involvement. He criticized some parents for prioritizing financial pursuits over their children’s well-being, which exacerbates disciplinary problems both at home and in schools. “Before children even reach secondary school, some bring these bad habits from home to school, and we struggle to address them. It’s not an easy task. All hands must be on deck.”
He stressed the importance of early intervention, noting that some students bring negative behaviors from home into the school environment. To address these issues, he called for a collective effort to tackle the problem more effectively.
In light of the recent tragedy, Akumbase emphasized the need for robust psychological support for affected students. He proposed that guidance and counseling coordinators at the school, supported by district-level counselors, provide additional assistance to help students recover from the trauma and prepare for their upcoming exams. “I believe the guidance and counseling coordinators at the school need to get closer to the students to help them achieve psychological stability. I also think that district-level guidance and counseling coordinators should support the school’s guidance and counseling staff to help students become psychologically prepared for their exams,” he said.
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1 MHz | Gifty Eyram Kudiabor | Bolgatanga
