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The Ghana Education Service (GES) has restricted the administration of corporal punishment in schools to headteachers, according to Irene Sam, Deputy Public Relations Officer for the National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (PTA).
Speaking during a panel discussion on Angel FM’s Morning Show hosted by Saddick Adams, Ms. Sam emphasized that this directive aims to mitigate the harsh punishments often inflicted by frustrated teachers reacting impulsively to student misconduct.
“The concerning trend is that frustrated teachers, in response to student behavior, sometimes inflict punishment that results in physical harm. GES regulations now ensure that only heads of schools, who are not actively teaching, are authorized to administer such punishments,” she explained.
She highlighted that this measure seeks to prevent teachers from acting out of anger when dealing with students. “If a student misbehaves, teachers are instructed to refer the case to the headmaster, as it’s assumed that the teacher may not handle the situation calmly” she added.
Beyond disciplinary measures, Ms. Sam suggested that some issues within schools may have spiritual dimensions, which she argued should be addressed accordingly.
She further noted that school management no longer holds broad authority over corporal punishment. Instead, GES has introduced a code of conduct outlining specific sanctions for student infractions at the pre-tertiary level.
“The concern now is for school management to consistently enforce these codes and maintain discipline in schools” she concluded.
The move by GES helps to mitigate abuse of students and a shift towards ensuring that disciplinary measures in schools are both appropriate and professionally administered, safeguarding the physical and emotional well-being of students while promoting order in educational institutions.
