The Ghana Education Service is considering tougher action against student misconduct, including the possible criminal prosecution of senior high school students whose actions result in serious offences or extensive damage to school property.
Deputy Director General of the GES, Professor Smile Dzisi, said the Service is increasingly worried about indiscipline in second cycle institutions and believes existing school sanctions may not be enough in extreme cases.
She indicated that students could be referred to the criminal justice system where their conduct goes beyond ordinary breaches of school rules.
Parents may also be held responsible in some circumstances, particularly where compensation is required for damaged property.
National Talks Planned in Sunyani
Professor Dzisi announced that the GES will convene a national stakeholder engagement in Sunyani next week to examine the causes of rising indiscipline and agree on practical responses.
The meeting is expected to bring together education officials, school administrators and other stakeholders to discuss accountability, prevention and the responsibilities of both students and staff.
“Any student that will be caught will be severely punished. Or any staff that will be caught condoning such actions will be severely punished. It’s important to agree on the way forward,” she said.
She was speaking to Citi News on the sidelines of the 86th anniversary celebration of Odorgonno Senior High School. The GES has not yet announced a formal prosecution policy.
Professor Dzisi’s remarks, however, signal a willingness to move beyond suspensions and internal disciplinary procedures where misconduct involves serious destruction or conduct that may constitute a criminal offence.
The warning does not apply to students alone. Professor Dzisi said staff members found supporting, encouraging or ignoring serious misconduct could also face severe punishment.
That position places school authorities under pressure to act quickly when incidents occur rather than allowing them to disappear into internal investigations with no clear outcome.
Odorgonno Appeals for Science Laboratory
The anniversary celebration also highlighted urgent infrastructure problems at Odorgonno Senior High School.
The school currently uses its dining hall for science practical lessons because it lacks a dedicated laboratory. Authorities say the arrangement has contributed to frequent damage to equipment and affected the quality of practical teaching.
Visual arts students are also without a proper practical centre.Headmaster Patrick Mensah appealed to individuals, organisations and education stakeholders to support the construction of a science laboratory and other facilities.
For the school, discipline is only one part of the conversation. Students also need spaces that make proper teaching and learning possible.
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