GES debunks claims on student discipline, says misconduct still attracts severe sanctions

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has firmly rejected claims circulating on social media that students in Ghanaian schools are no longer punished for misconduct or that class repetition has been abolished.

In a statement issued by Management, the Service described the allegations, made by one David Boakye in a widely circulated interview, as inaccurate and misleading, stressing that disciplinary measures remain an integral part of Ghana’s education system.

According to the GES, while student indiscipline, particularly at the Senior High School level, continues to pose a challenge, schools across the country still enforce disciplinary actions in line with the GES Code of Conduct, school regulations and existing educational policies.

The Service cited several recent cases to demonstrate that misconduct attracts appropriate sanctions. Among them was the 2025 assault of a teacher by students at Accra High School, where the students involved were withdrawn from the school. It also referenced an incident at Swedru School of Business, where students who engaged in violent conduct during an inter-school sports competition were similarly withdrawn.

GES further pointed to the widely reported case involving candidates of Kade Senior High School, where students who assaulted a teacher during the 2025 WASSCE examinations were arrested, prosecuted and sentenced by the courts.

The statement added that in several other cases, students found guilty of misconduct have been indefinitely suspended, deboardinised, fined by the courts or sentenced to imprisonment, depending on the severity of their offences.

Management also dismissed assertions that repetition no longer exists in Ghanaian schools. It explained that although repetition is not automatic, schools can request approval for students with poor academic performance to repeat a class.

As examples, the Service disclosed that five final-year students at Pope John Senior High School and Minor Seminary repeated Form Three during the 2025/2026 academic year because of poor academic performance. It also noted that Opoku Ware Senior High School has requested approval for some students to repeat due to unsatisfactory results.

GES assured parents and the general public that school disciplinary committees remain active and continue to enforce discipline through established procedures and due process.

To address the growing concerns over indiscipline, the Ministry of Education is expected to organise a national stakeholders’ conference involving faith-based organisations, civil society organisations and other education stakeholders to identify practical solutions to the challenge.

Additionally, the Ghana Education Service has constituted a committee to review the existing Code of Conduct to ensure it remains effective in promoting discipline and responsible behaviour among learners.

The Service reiterated its commitment to producing students who are not only academically successful but also exhibit strong moral values, discipline and good character, while calling on parents, guardians and the wider public to support efforts to maintain discipline in schools across the country.