Dr. Clement Apaak, Member of Parliament for Builsa South, has claimed that the implementation of the free senior high school (Free SHS) program appears to have increased student indiscipline.
Dr. Apaak said that the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) arrangement has been relegated to the background, which is also the cause of the rising rate of disobedience among students in senior high schools (SHSs).
The opposition legislator stated that the PTA system has been made useless since the introduction of the free senior high school, and as a result, parents are no longer able to play a part in establishing discipline among the students in the classroom.
According to the member of the Select Committee on Education, the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has expressed worry about the alleged assault on a student at the Adisadel College.
He acknowledged that these recent events are troubling and regrettable and added that, although there had been instances of indiscipline in the past, there has appeared to be an increase in recent years.
“Even before these instances, we heard of situations where students beat up teachers, beat up exam invigilators, and supervisors. Some even went on to destroy properties and destroyed the farms of a headteacher because they were being prevented from cheating. It is beginning to seem as though with the introduction of the free SHS policy, there has been an emergence of indiscipline.
“Don’t take it from me, I have heard the leadership of NAGRAT complain that their members have constantly given instances where they are unable or are constrained in terms of disciplining students. I will want to add that perhaps one of the reasons why we are seeing degeneration as far as indiscipline on the campuses of our secondary schools is concerned, is also this relegation of parent-teacher association to the background.”
Dr. Clement Apaak
According to Dr. Clement Apaak, the Free SHS policy has made the work of PTAs largely voluntary; many parents are no longer involved and are no participating. He stressed that he felt the PTA has suffered in the past, where parents were actively involved in aiding management of the schools to run the schools to maintain discipline.
The Quaque House Housemaster of Adisadel College was detained earlier this week, pending inquiries into a trending video involving two pupils. The two pupils were shown in a video clutching each other’s necks tightly, while the victim’s head was struck against the metal bed frame.
ADISCO Student Granted Bail
The student at the center of the assault case at Adisadel College has been granted bail by Cape Coast District Court 2.
The defendant was granted bail to return to court on August 2, 2023 by the court, presided over by His Honor, Eric Oheneba Antwi Boasiako, since there were insufficient jurors for the juvenile case.
The pupil was detained by the Cape Coast Police earlier this week, warned for assault and hurt, and then released to the headmaster of the school to appear in court. The incident in the video led to his arrest.
To address the matter and make the offender accountable for his acts, the authorities are moving quickly. The victim was first suspended from school, but has since been called back. His healing and well-being are being ensured by the school through these actions.
READ ALSO: Ambulance Case: Ato Forson Accuses Judge Of Being Bias
