Heads of Senior High Schools (SHSs) in the Central Region are calling for a data-driven approach to student discipline, proposing the regular collection and publication of disciplinary records across school houses and classes to help tackle the growing problem of indiscipline in second-cycle institutions.
The proposal comes amid increasing public concern over viral videos showing incidents of bullying, violence, sexting and other forms of student misconduct in some Senior High Schools (SHS).
According to the SHS heads, making disciplinary data publicly available within schools would help identify behavioural trends, encourage healthy competition among school houses and enable management to monitor the effectiveness of disciplinary interventions.
They argued that publishing house-by-house disciplinary records would create constructive peer pressure, motivate student leaders to take responsibility for behaviour within their houses and provide measurable targets for improving discipline.
“Using data to motivate house leaders and encourage ownership of behaviour improvements is essential because clear, unit-level statistics make problems visible and easier to address,” the heads stated.
They believe such a system would also strengthen accountability by allowing school authorities in senior high schools (SHS) and other stakeholders to track progress over time and assess whether interventions are producing the desired results.
The recommendations were presented during a one-day workshop organised by the National Peace Council (NPC) in Cape Coast to equip heads of schools with strategies for promoting peace, religious tolerance and discipline in educational institutions.
The joint statement was delivered by Linda Appiah, Headmistress of Holy Child School, Reverend Dr Patrick Appiah, Headmaster of St Augustine’s College, and John Arthur, Headmaster of Edinaman SHS.
Beyond data-driven discipline, the school heads also advocated greater autonomy and increased resources for Guidance and Counselling Units, describing them as critical to building positive school cultures.
They said well-resourced counselling services would strengthen relationships between students and teachers, promote mutual respect and help address the underlying causes of indiscipline, including peer pressure, unresolved conflicts, sexual harassment, overcrowding, inadequate school facilities, access to weapons and conflicts of interest involving teachers.
The heads further recommended that parents be more actively involved in disciplinary processes.
According to them, students are more likely to change their behaviour when parents are promptly informed about misconduct and expected to reinforce disciplinary measures at home, reducing the likelihood of repeat offences.
Addressing the workshop, the Central Regional Director of Education, Dr Juliette Dufie Otami, underscored the importance of religious tolerance in creating peaceful and inclusive schools.
She said education should not only focus on academic achievement but also on character formation, civic responsibility and respect for diversity.
Dr Otami noted that Ghana’s schools reflect the country’s religious and cultural diversity and stressed the need to ensure those differences continue to promote unity rather than division.
She reaffirmed the Ghana Education Service’s commitment to providing safe, equitable and inclusive learning environments where every student and staff member is treated with dignity, regardless of religious or cultural background.
“Promoting religious tolerance is not only an educational responsibility but also a national imperative that contributes to social cohesion, peaceful coexistence and sustainable development,” she said, urging educators to lead by example through fairness, empathy and respect.
Mrs Janet Dedei Sarney-Kuma, Director for Capacity Development and Outreach at the National Peace Council, also encouraged schools to strengthen religious inclusion.
She reminded participants that Ghana’s 1992 Constitution guarantees freedom of worship and urged both Christian and Muslim students to respect one another’s beliefs.
According to her, schools should ensure that students from minority faiths feel welcomed and included, irrespective of whether an institution has a Christian or Muslim tradition.
She also called for stronger collaboration among students, teachers, non-teaching staff and parents, noting that active parental involvement can help reduce external influences that often contribute to conflicts and indiscipline in schools.
By: Janice Opoku-Agyemang
 in the Central Region are calling for a data-driven approach to student discipline){kind=link}