Let’s support school heads to instil discipline — Afetsi charges stakeholders

Stakeholders in education must endeavour to support heads of second cycle schools to instil discipline in students in the various institutions.

This is to ensure that students churned out of the schools are well disciplined and ready to lead wherever they find themselves.

The President of the Foundation for Generational Thinkers (FOGET), Prosper Afetsi, who said this, noted that instilling discipline in students was critical to their development and having a moral society, hence the need to give heads all the support to whip students in line.

He, therefore, said parents, guardians, parent-teacher-association, religious institutions as well as community and opinion leaders must support school authorities to correct their children and bring them to order.

Issue

Responding to the recent issue in which the Assistant Headmaster of the Presbyterian Senior High School, Nkwatia, assaulted a student, he said the issue should not be generalised to the extent that other teachers might relax, thereby leading to the breakdown of discipline.

“This case is an isolated one and we are not condoning the action of the assistant headmaster.

We totally condemn it and that the head should take full responsibility for his action and it is good that the Ghana Education Service has stepped into the matter,” he said.

Mr Afetsi said his position was that there was so much indiscipline in the society and among students and so it would be in order to support heads to deal with the problem, adding that parents too had the responsibility to ensure that their children adhered to the rules and regulations of schools.

Indiscipline

“So we need the heads and teachers to curb indiscipline in the system.

If we crucify heads because of an isolated case, others might relax and then affect the system,” he said.

“I am not saying what the teacher did is right and that he should be left to go scot-free.

But I am saying that there are acts of indiscipline among students that must be dealt with before they got out of hands.

For instance, you see final year students refusing to eat school meals and breaking bounds because they are going to leave the school”.

Regarding the Presbyterian SHS case, he said the extent to which the student was handled was totally wrong and uncalled for and that the head should not have used anger to punish her.

“The reason for punishment is to correct and not to assault the person,” he said, adding that school heads must also be measured in the level of punishment they give to students.

He said any punishment meted out to students must be within the rules and regulations of the GES and nothing else.  

Background

The GES, in a statement, criticised the reported assault of the student by the Assistant Headmaster (Academics) of Presbyterian SHS, Nkwatia.

Photographs and videos of the student's bruised face have been widely circulated on social media generating widespread outrage.

The GES denounced the assistant headmaster's actions, adding that it had taken decisive action by relieving him of his duties.

Simultaneously, it said the student was being provided with necessary medical attention and counselling.

The GES also confirmed that the Eastern Regional Director of Education was collaborating with the school administration and the relevant law enforcement agency to initiate a thorough investigation into the incident.

Assuring the public of its commitment to fostering a secure and conducive learning environment for students nationwide, the GES has expressed its dedication to upholding these standards.