Growing insecurity in schools: Education Minister tasks GES to take decisive action

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has tasked the Ghana Education Service (GES) to take action against the growing incidence of violence and indiscipline on school campuses.

“It is not only unacceptable, but un-Ghanaian to hear that a Ghanaian child is in school with a weapon or a machete,” Mr Iddrisu said at an engagement session with stakeholders.

Engagement

The minister stated this when he engaged officials from the GES, led by its Director-General, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis and the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), led by the Head of National Office, Dr Rosemond Wilson.

It was to allow the minister to assess the level of preparedness of WAEC for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the role of the GES in ensuring that no learner is disadvantaged in the examination. 

Randomised search

Describing violent crime as “wholly unacceptable,” Mr Iddrisu charged the GES to randomise the search of students on school campuses, stressing that if care was not taken, it might end up undermining the peaceful atmosphere which was required for conducive learning.

“We have a responsibility as a government to safeguard the safety and security of both teachers and learners. And therefore, we must begin finding answers to the growing incidence of school violence, some involving weapons and machetes, tragically, firearms, and unacceptable behaviour, as I have stated. It does not represent Ghanaian values,” he stated.

Mr Iddrisu described such violent incidents as “a worrying phenomenon” and tasked the GES to strengthen its inspectorate division to curb the growing incidence of violent crime in schools.

Rising exam malpractice

Touching on the rise in examination malpractice, the minister charged the GES, together with WAEC, to take a decisive decision on any student who carried a phone to the examination centre for the examinations.

“Indeed, what is more worrying for me is a new phenomenon of phone-assisted cheating, phone-assisted teaching,” he stated.

He said it was also common knowledge that some students, in cahoots or working with the facilitation and assistance of some teachers, to undermining the integrity of the examination.

Mr Iddrisu tasked the two institutions to strongly reinforce their directive accordingly in respect of such malpractice, assuring them that, “you have the support of the state to deal decisively with any student or teacher found culpable aiding.

“We cannot afford to build character without integrity. And particularly for the formative years of these learners, they can walk through the process of examination only with integrity,” he said, explaining that it was why the students were advised to desist and stay away from any conduct that involved exam malpractice.

Mr Iddrisu expressed concern that any breach of the rules of the exam would undermine the integrity of the WAEC in conducting the examination.