GES must ensure compliance with disciplinary code – Child Rights

Child Rights International (CRI), an NGO, has urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure that all schools, irrespective of their status, comply with its standard guidelines for disciplining students.

Mr Bright Appiah, the Executive Director, CRI, said at a press briefing, on Wednesday, that most Senior High Schools in category A and B adhered strictly to the school guidelines as compared to those in category C where there was poor supervision.

The press conference was in reaction to the expulsion from boarding house of seven female students of the Ejisuman SHS in the Ashanti Region, over acts of indiscipline.

The students posted video that contained language with sexual innuendos
on social media.

In addition to making them day students, the authorities of the School, published their names to serve as deterrent to others.

Mr Appiah stated:"We have realised that most videos of showing acts of indiscipline by students are from category C schools. We, therefore, call on GES to implement measures to ensure that all schools, irrespective of category, comply with the same disciplinary standards".

"CRI condemns the conduct exhibited by the students and do not subscribe to any acts that would not promote discipline and orderliness in the country's educational system".

However, he pointed out that the punishment would not solve the problem but rather worsen the situation because the students would have full access to gadgets to use to intensify their acts.

The CRI, he said, believed that punishment, as a means of correction was not the solution, adding that the remedy to any social disorder was appropriate diagnosis and treatment.

Therefore, school authorities must ensure that their institutions had counselling services available for students who flout the rules in order to take them through proper rehabilitation maintenance programmes.

He advised heads of schools to refrain from resorting to only punitive measures as a way of reformation and seek to identify the reasons behind the misconduct, which sometimes emanated from a host of challenges.

“The organisation’s investigation revealed that students, particularly, of SHSs and Junior High Schools, engaged in destructive conduct, including drugs, stealing and sexual immoral acts.

“The Organisation, therefore, calls on parents and stakeholders in the sector to address the menace”.