The Ministry of Education has announced plans to enforce a testimonial requirement for Senior High School (SHS) students seeking admission into universities and other tertiary institutions. This new directive aims to promote discipline and address the rising incidents of student indiscipline in SHS across Ghana.
Speaking at the 2024 Ghana Teacher Prize event, the Minister of Education, Dr. Osei Yaw Adutwum, emphasized that the Ministry is working to achieve zero tolerance for indiscipline in the country’s high schools. He noted that the move is intended to curb student violence and prevent the destruction of school property.
“We want zero tolerance for indiscipline in our high schools. The era when students go on a rampage, destroying school properties will soon be over. We are going to be working with tertiary institutions to ensure that when you’re moving from high school to the university or training college, you will provide a testimonial that will state your character. Indiscipline should not be tolerated anywhere in our schools,” Dr. Adutwum stated.
*Concerns About Growing Indiscipline*
The issue of increasing indiscipline among SHS students has been a topic of national discussion recently. Several incidents of violence, including the tragic case of a student stabbing his colleague to death at O’Reilly Senior High School, have highlighted the urgent need for stricter measures.
In other instances, students have attacked their teachers and vandalized school properties in response to what they perceive as unfavorable decisions by school authorities. This troubling trend has prompted calls from various stakeholders, including the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), for swift action.
Thomas Tanko Musah, General Secretary of GNAT, expressed concern over the deteriorating behavior of students, some of whom, he noted, have even assaulted teachers with the support of their parents.
“The kind of behavior that students are displaying today is terrible. They beat teachers sometimes with the backing of their parents. These unfortunate incidents, if not curbed, will create big problems in the years to come,” Musah warned.
The Ministry’s new policy to require a character testimonial for SHS graduates is expected to play a key role in instilling discipline and ensuring that prospective university students uphold the values of respect and responsibility. The Education Ministry believes that this initiative, alongside other strategies, will help foster a positive learning environment and promote good conduct among students.
