The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has delivered a bold ultimatum to the Ghana Education Service (GES), demanding immediate and sweeping reforms to address the disturbing surge in violence, indiscipline, and lawlessness in the country’s secondary schools.
In a strongly worded statement released on Monday, NAGRAT warned that the safety and dignity of teachers are under siege and that the school environment is increasingly becoming hostile—not only for educators but also for students committed to academic excellence.
The association has given the GES until May 31, 2025, to announce decisive measures or risk a union-led response that could disrupt academic activities nationwide.
NAGRAT’s concerns stem from a spate of alarming incidents where teachers have been physically assaulted by students. The association cited several examples:
- Mr. Walter Yesotor Adanunyo, a teacher at Christian Methodist High School, was attacked by students for preventing examination malpractice.
- Mr. Ebenezer Kateya of Accra High School was assaulted after enforcing school dress code regulations.
- A student at Opoku Ware Senior High School (OKESS) was recently caught on campus with a firearm, raising fears of escalating school-based violence.
“These are not isolated cases,” NAGRAT stated. “They reflect a dangerous pattern of indiscipline, fuelled by a weak disciplinary framework and political interference.”
According to the union, the breakdown in order is being driven by four main factors:
- Admission of students who failed the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), leading to frustration and poor conduct.
- Political interference, which undermines disciplinary processes and emboldens students to defy authority.
- Inability of school authorities to repeat underperforming students, regardless of academic results.
- Bureaucratic bottlenecks in expelling violent or disruptive students, leaving schools powerless to enforce discipline.
“The situation is deteriorating fast,” the statement warned. “If not addressed, we fear we will soon hear of deaths, rape, and extreme violence in our schools.”
To restore discipline and safeguard teachers, the association’s National Council is demanding the immediate implementation of the following:
- A public directive from the Director-General of the GES that empowers headteachers to summarily dismiss any student who assaults a teacher or school staff.
- Automatic dismissal of students found with weapons (including knives, guns, and machetes) on school premises.
- Authority for school heads to repeat students who fail to meet academic benchmarks, without requiring approval from regional or national authorities.
NAGRAT believes these measures are the bare minimum needed to restore order and ensure that schools are safe spaces for both teaching and learning.
The union has made it clear: if the GES fails to announce and implement these reforms by May 31, 2025, NAGRAT will be forced to take action.
Although the association did not detail the nature of the actions it plans to take, it emphasised that its primary responsibility is to protect its members from harm and restore dignity to the teaching profession.
“We have kept quiet for too long, hoping things would improve. But the silence has been interpreted as weakness,” the statement said. “This time, we will act.”
The ultimatum comes at a time when public confidence in school safety is being eroded. Parents, educational stakeholders, and civil society groups have repeatedly called on the GES and Ministry of Education to enforce stricter discipline policies and empower school heads.
Click the link Puretvonline.com | WhatsApp Channel to join the WhatsApp channel
GOT A STORY?
Contact/WhatsApp: +233243201960 or Email: manuelnkansah33@gmail.com