Ministry of Education deploying measures to curb indiscipline in SHS – Dr. Apaak

The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, says the Ministry of Education and his boss, Haruna Iddrisu, are employing measures to curb the issue of indiscipline in Ghana’s secondary schools.

This follows the Police at Tafo-Pankrono in the Ashanti region arresting a 16-year-old second-year boarding student of the Osei Kyeretwie Senior High School, OKESS, for unlawful possession of a firearm.

The Police have also arrested the stepfather of the student, Daniel Owusu Baafi in connection with the unlawful possession of the firearm.

In a statement, the Head of the Public Affairs Unit of the Ashanti Central Region Police Command, DSP Godwin Ahianyo, disclosed that the student allegedly admitted to bringing the locally manufactured firearm to the school after it was detected by school authorities.

DSP Godwin Ahianyo explained that the gun was found by OKESS’ authorities during their routine search of the dormitories on the 14th of this month at about 9. 30 am.

He added that after admitting ownership of the weapon, the authorities handed him over to the Police.

Commenting on the development, the Builsa South lawmaker, who doubles as the deputy minister for education, stated that all frantic efforts have been triggered to halt such developments in Ghana’s schools.

“The Hon. Minister of Education has, through Ghana Education Service [GES], permitted managements of secondary schools to search students, which was never permitted under the previous government. In addition, PTAs have been restored to what they used to be before 2017. These two policies are only two of many others in the pipeline.

“I can report that the Hon. Minister of Education has directed the Director General of GES to work with the GES council to initiate further immediate interventions even as we work to implement holistic reforms recommended by the good people of Ghanaian via the National Education Forum”, Dr. Apaak indicated in a brief statement.

Below is the full statement

The issue of indiscipline in our secondary schools is most worrying. Government, through the Hon. Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has initiated processes to address this and many other challenges.

The Hon. Minister of Education has, through Ghana Education Service [GES], permitted managements of secondary schools to search students, which was never permitted under the previous government. In addition, PTAs have been restored to what they used to be before 2017. These two policies are only two of many others in the pipeline.

I can report that the Hon. Minister of Education has directed the Director General of GES to work with the GES council to initiate further immediate interventions even as we work to implement holistic reforms recommended by the good people of Ghanaian via the National Education Forum.

What is happening in our secondary schools clearly justifies our campaign promise to review the implementation of the Free Senior High School [FSHS] Programme as a basis to improve and sustain it.
Regards,

Dr. Clement Abas Apaak
MP, Builsa South and Deputy Minister of Education