Kofi Asare, the Executive Director of Africa Education Watch believes that the positive discipline policy being implemented in our schools which mostly banned the use of corporal punishment may be a contributing factor to the high increase of indiscipline in our schools.
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Mr. Kofi Aasre spoke about this with reference to the incident of bullying in the Konongo-Odumase Senior High School which turned fatal resulting in the death of one student.
Five students of the Konongo Odumase SHS were arrested after a 15-year old first year student died from a stab wound which was as a result of bullying from the suspects. The deceased student had been trying to stop a fellow first year from being bullied.
“A lot of teachers have developed some inertia when it comes to enforcing exixting rules.” Kofi Asare revealed this on Citi TV show, ‘The Point of View’.
“We have adequate rules on paper, but bullying is able to take place and get to the magnitude we are discussing because the control mechanism are not working properly.” Mr. Asare added
‘The level of acceptance of the policy was very low. The people in custody of the kids are the teachers, so if they do not accept the policy, they will just give up, fold their hands, teach and watch the kids do what they want to do.” Mr. Asare also argued.
The positive discipline was not the only contributing factor the indiscipline in school mentioned by Mr. Asare. He also added that there aren’t enough teachers to watch over students in school after contact hours.
“When this happens, it makes it very difficult for such number of teachers to control an average of 3,000 students per school.”
Consequently, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Ministry admitted to the fact that the ministry was concerned with teachers’ acceptance of the positive discipline policy.
However, he said there were misunderstandings about the policy’s role in ensuring discipline because “some teachers felt authority had been taken away from them.”
“The whole concept of discipline is not to inflict physical pain on the individual.” Mr. Kwarteng stated
