Minister orders GES action, stresses parents’ role in restoring discipline after video of SHS students using spiritual charms was shared on social media

The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr Clement Apaak, has used a viral video involving senior high school students to renew calls for stronger parental involvement and discipline in schools, as the government moves to contain what it describes as rising indiscipline among learners.

Dr Apaak said he had formally referred the matter to the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service (GES) after footage circulated online showing male students from Sakafia Islamic Senior High School and Islamic Senior High School in Kumasi displaying charms they claimed gave them spiritual strength.

In a Facebook post on Thursday, January 15, 2026, the Deputy Minister said immediate action was required to prevent further misconduct and to reinforce discipline within the pre-tertiary education system.

“I’ve forwarded the attached story and the associated disturbing video to the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service for action,” he stated.

While public attention has largely focused on the charms seen in the video, Dr Apaak placed emphasis on the broader issue of student behaviour and the responsibility of parents to actively guide their children.

“We cannot accept violence in our schools and between students from different schools. We are determined to restore discipline in our educational system,” he said.

He warned that incidents of indiscipline, if left unchecked, could undermine efforts to create safe and productive learning environments, stressing that schools alone could not shoulder the responsibility.

Dr Apaak urged parents to take a more deliberate interest in the conduct of their wards, particularly while they are in boarding facilities and away from home supervision.

“Parents must take an interest in the behaviour of their wards in school. Parents ought to regularly caution their wards against misconduct and acts of indiscipline,” he noted.

The Deputy Minister also linked the incident to the government’s decision to restore Parent-Teacher Associations, describing the move as a strategic step to rebuild collaboration between homes and schools.

“We restored PTAs because we believe parents have a crucial and collaborative role to play in the education of their wards, especially at the pre-tertiary level,” he added.

The video has triggered widespread public concern about safety, discipline and student conduct in senior high schools, prompting calls for tighter supervision and value-based education.