Ghana’s largest teachers’ union has delivered a sharp warning to the country’s education authorities, demanding immediate disciplinary reforms in public schools amid a surge in violence and misconduct.
The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has given the Ghana Education Service (GES) a May 31 deadline to announce new, stringent disciplinary powers or face unspecified retaliatory action from the union aimed at safeguarding its members.
The group is calling for broad changes, including the automatic expulsion of students who assault school personnel or are caught carrying weapons. NAGRAT also wants headteachers to have unilateral authority to retain students who fail to meet academic benchmarks—powers currently mired in bureaucratic procedures.
“The situation is deteriorating fast,” NAGRAT said in a statement. “If not addressed, we fear we will soon hear of deaths, rape, and extreme violence in our schools.”
The union pointed to a string of troubling incidents in recent months. At Christian Methodist High School, a teacher was assaulted for preventing exam malpractice. At Accra High School, another was attacked after enforcing the school’s dress code. At Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School (OKESS), a student was found in possession of a firearm.
According to NAGRAT, contributing factors include the admission of students who failed national exams, political interference in disciplinary decisions, and administrative hurdles that prevent school leaders from removing disruptive or violent students.
In a list of demands to the GES, the union is calling for:
- A public directive from the GES Director-General allowing immediate expulsion of students who assault staff.
- Automatic dismissal for any student caught with a weapon.
- Discretionary powers for school heads to make promotion and repetition decisions based on academic performance.
Failure to implement these policies by the end of May could lead to “protective measures” by NAGRAT, though the union did not specify what form those actions might take.
Source:TheDotNews