Civil society groups are calling for a comprehensive review of Ghana’s school discipline framework, citing gaps in teacher training, policy awareness, and safeguarding enforcement following a high-profile teacher-student incident.
The call comes from a coalition led by Africa Education Watch, which has petitioned the National Teaching Council over the case.
Programme director Kwasi Nimo Jnr said nearly eight years after the introduction of the positive discipline policy, its effectiveness remains unclear.
“We believe that an evaluation into its impact will bring out the issues pertaining awareness… and how [teachers] are supposed to implement such positive discipline,” he said on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (16 June).
He warned that while policies exist, implementation challenges persist, particularly in conflict management and non-violent discipline.
“Putting into consideration recent events, that may be lacking,” he said, referring to teacher training in de-escalation and safeguarding.
The coalition is urging the Ministry of Education to commission an independent assessment of the policy, covering enforcement, teacher preparedness, and student compliance.
It also called for expanded training and stronger monitoring systems across schools.
Nimo Jnr suggested reforms to the teacher accountability framework, including mandatory safeguarding training for licensing and renewal, as well as stricter background checks.
“It will be non-negotiable to ensure that a teacher’s fitness is assessed before they are given the go-ahead… to be in our classrooms,” he said.
He also advocated decentralising disciplinary powers to school and district levels to improve responsiveness.
The coalition says the current case should serve as a benchmark for strengthening accountability and preventing future incidents.
Source: metrotvonline.com
