A retired educationist, Reverend Simon Asige, has expressed deep sympathy for the affected families, students, and staff of O’Reilly Senior High School following the tragic stabbing and killing of a final-year student. He also lamented the increasing trend of indiscipline in schools.
Rev. Asige noted that while disciplinary problems have long been an issue, their escalation is particularly concerning in larger schools, where student numbers can be overwhelming. Such high numbers, such as two thousand, according to him, lead to challenges in maintaining discipline and can overwhelm teachers. “I am not surprised because I have always held the view that any school established as a boarding institution with more than two thousand students will inevitably face disciplinary problems,” he said.
He criticized the implementation of policies prohibiting corporal punishment, arguing that while the intention was to protect students, it has led to a lack of effective alternative disciplinary measures. “They have forgotten that the Ghana Education Service (GES) had a specific case. They only said not to use the cane. They didn’t say not to discipline students in other ways,” he explained.
Rev. Asige highlighted that some boarding schools perpetuate harmful traditions under the guise of seniority, subjecting students to rites of passage. “When they say, ‘It’s our turn,’ it means we are in the third year and it’s our turn to also cause harm.”
He stressed that teaching goes beyond classroom instruction and should include maintaining a disciplined school environment. However, the high student-to-teacher ratio in many schools hampers this effort. “Being a teacher is not just about going to the classroom and getting students to understand the lesson. It goes beyond that. Lately, unless someone is on duty, they don’t think it is their responsibility to ensure complete discipline in the school. The teachers on duty cannot manage over two thousand students.”
He suggested that the Ghana Education Service (GES) conduct a thorough investigation into such incidents to uncover systemic issues and proposed dividing large schools into smaller units to better manage student numbers. “I believe that if the Ghana Education Service investigates, they might uncover issues that we need to address.”
Additionally, he pointed out that incomplete educational infrastructure and inappropriate placement of students in day schools contribute to the problem. “Some of the issues with the E-Schools are that some are not completed, and even the completed ones are day schools. We haven’t revised our modalities for placing students in day schools compared to their choices. If they haven’t chosen these schools, nobody should send them there just because one school is too full,” he said.
Rev. Asige also voiced concerns about misunderstandings related to new policies on financial contributions and the involvement of school executives. He urged the GES to clarify these policies and improve collaboration between parents and teachers. “I think the GES needs to start over with this issue. The policy stating that school executives shouldn’t be involved in handling money has been misunderstood by many parents. They feel it means school executives are completely excluded, but that’s not the case.”
“GES should reorganize this strategy and find a better approach,” he added.
He emphasized that parental involvement, including attending PTA meetings, is crucial for supporting student discipline and overall school effectiveness. “Parents need to collaborate with teachers because teachers are overwhelmed with many issues.”
Source: A1Radioonline.com | 101.1 MHz | Gifty Eyram Kudiabor | Bolgatanga
