A Deputy Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Professor Smile Gavua Dzisi, has called on school heads in the country to strictly enforce all the necessary disciplinary measures to stem the increasing spate of indiscipline among students.
According to her, recent cases of reported indiscipline across public schools was a cause for concern and must not be condoned in any form or shape, stressing that “School heads must ensure that disciplinary measures, such as temporary dismissal and other sanctions consistent with GES regulations, are enforced on students who breach school rules.”
Speaking at the 86th anniversary speech and prize-giving day of the Odorgonno Senior High School last Saturday in Accra, Professor Dzisi condemned parents who threaten legal action against schools whenever their children are punished for breaking rules.
She explained that maintaining discipline is a shared responsibility between the school and parents, emphasising that parents must perform their role at home to ensure their child behaves well while teachers uphold order during school hours.
“Discipline in a school is never the work of a single office; it is a climate, and a climate is created by consistency. To parents and guardians, I appeal to you: the school cannot do alone what the home has not begun. Let us stand together on this, for the child who is corrected by everyone is protected by everyone, she said.
The Board Chairman of the School, Reverend Lawrence Tetteh, added that teachers should also leave an exemplary lifestyle for the students to emulate, stressing that their dressing, walk and how they communicate should be examples students should learn.
He noted that as much as indiscipline would not be entertained from the students, the Board would as well ensure that teachers whose actions and inactions may hurt students would be dealt with.
Reverend Tetteh appealed to old students of the school to come and support their alma mater with their professional expertise, influence and resources as a means of positively impacting the lives of the students.
“I call on old students to come to the school and mentor the students, support infrastructure and academic programmes, mobilise resources, promote the school’s reputation and participate fully in its activities.
Every old student, irrespective of location or circumstances, has something valuable to contribute,” he said.
The Headmaster of the Odorgonno Senior High Schools, Mr Patrick Mensah, said discipline had improved significantly in the school and that the Students Representative Council (SRC) had demonstrated strong leadership, spearheading initiatives that enhance student welfare and discipline.
He, however, said a few of the students are not conforming to the established norm, and that these students’ activities continue to give negative publicity to the school.
BY BERNARD BENGHAN
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