The General Secretary of the National Council of Parent Teacher Association, Mr. Gapson Kofi Raphael, has voiced serious concern over the declining standards of discipline in educational institutions, urging all stakeholders in the sector to treat this as a major priority.
Mr. Raphael lamented that it is essential to allow schools to properly sanction students for misconduct.
He asserted that the recent surge of indiscipline in schools, compounded by the abuse of social media by students, highlights a broader societal failure.
He strongly emphasized the need to move past raising human rights issues solely to obstruct the punishment of students. According to him, this shift is necessary to ensure that students are effectively raised to be patriotic, disciplined, nationalistic, and law-abiding citizens.
This concern follows a recent warning from the Cyber Security Authority (CSA) cautioning senior high school students and graduates against posting indecent and irresponsible statements on social media, noting that such conduct could severely damage their future prospects.
This warning comes amidst a flood of viral videos on social media showing students engaged in irresponsible acts.
A recent video depicting students from Holy Trinity Senior High School (HOTCASS) smoking has generated widespread public debate.
In an interview on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Mr. Raphael acknowledged that while social media offers valuable opportunities for expression, networking, and creativity, its negative effects can seriously jeopardize the future of those who misuse it.
Mr. Raphael underscored that “Ensuring discipline in our schools is a collective responsibility. Parents and teachers have a key role to play, as do the authorities managing our education sector. Recently, we have witnessed students engaging in acts that could undermine their future, yet they appear careless. We, as parents, teachers, and state authorities, must intervene.”
He referenced a recent call by the Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, for the strict enforcement of the code of conduct in schools, which was nevertheless met with objections concerning human rights.
“We concede that the rights of students must not be abused, but we also cannot permit them to engage in acts that have the potential to destroy them,” Mr. Raphael stated.
”We must enforce discipline in our schools. As adults, we benefited from strict discipline and guidance both at school and at home. We must revert to those practices where students who misbehaved were appropriately punished. We are not just providing these students with education, but also training them to possess high moral values,” he stressed.
Mr. Raphael concluded by affirming parental support for strict enforcement: “As parents, we support schools to strictly enforce the code of conduct. Article 14 Clause 1(e) talks about fundamental human rights but also outlines exceptions, specifically ‘for the purpose of the education or welfare of a person who has not attained the age of eighteen years.’ If we must use hard labour at some point, we should use it. It is an integral part of moulding our children and ensuring we raise ethical and responsible leaders.”
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
