President Mahama Expresses Concern Over Increasing Indiscipline in Senior High Schools

President Mahama Raises Concern Over Rising Cases Of Indiscipline in Senior High Schools.

President John Dramani Mahama has voiced deep concern over what he describes as a troubling rise in indiscipline across senior high schools in the country, warning that the trend threatens to undermine the quality of education and the safety of both students and teachers.

His remarks come amid growing unease among key education stakeholders, particularly the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), which recently lamented the breakdown of discipline in various schools. NAGRAT has since issued an ultimatum, giving the government until May 31 to respond or risk teachers taking protective action against unruly student behavior.

During a meeting with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference at the Jubilee House on Friday, May 23, 2025, President Mahama emphasized the urgency of the situation and the need for a unified response. He attributed part of the crisis to a decline in moral values and social discipline, which he said is manifesting in disturbing ways within the school environment.

“We are witnessing a breakdown of values and morals, and this is beginning to reflect in the behavior of our students. There are reports of students bringing firearms to school, and in one incident, a female student nearly lost her sight after a fellow student discharged a gun,” he said.

President Mahama raised critical questions about the effectiveness of current school structures in promoting discipline, highlighting challenges such as the apparent weakening of moral education, rising teacher absenteeism, and the limited reach of the Inspectorate Division of the Ghana Education Service (GES), which is responsible for school supervision.

He stressed the importance of collaboration between the state and religious bodies, suggesting that churches could assist in monitoring teacher attendance and overall accountability in schools.

“We need to find ways to work more closely with the churches and community leaders to ensure that teachers posted to schools are actually reporting and delivering lessons. A stronger partnership will enhance supervision and restore the values we’re losing,” he added.

President Mahama’s call adds to a growing chorus of voices calling for urgent reforms in the education sector to address emerging threats to school safety, discipline, and academic performance.