Upper East Regional Minister Calls for Tougher Measures Against Indiscipline in Schools

The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Akamugri Donatus Atanga, has called for stronger measures to address indiscipline, teacher absenteeism and substance abuse in schools, warning that such practices threaten the quality of education and students’ learning outcomes.

He made the call at the 33rd Annual National Conference of Directors of Education in Bolgatanga on Tuesday, urging education directors to strengthen supervision, enforce professional standards and ensure that misconduct among teachers and students is addressed fairly and firmly.

Mr Atanga expressed concern over what he described as a growing disregard for authority and acceptable standards of conduct in educational institutions, stressing the need for concerted efforts to restore discipline and improve teaching and learning.

“We cannot talk about quality learning outcomes while ignoring teacher absenteeism, student indiscipline, alcoholism and substance abuse among both students and teachers,” he said.

The Minister urged teachers to demonstrate exemplary conduct and uphold the professional standards expected of them, noting that discipline and commitment were essential to creating an environment conducive to effective teaching and learning.

He also called on parents, traditional authorities and community leaders to support schools in instilling discipline, responsible behaviour and positive values in young people.

Beyond discipline, Mr Atanga emphasised the need for schools to equip learners with practical skills, digital literacy, critical thinking and creativity to prepare them for the demands of a changing world of work.

He said education in the Upper East Region should be tailored to enable young people to identify and take advantage of economic opportunities in agriculture, livestock production, tourism and cross-border trade.

The Minister further charged directors of education to promote accountability in the management of educational resources and strengthen collaboration with district assemblies and other stakeholders to address challenges affecting teaching and learning.

He stressed that the effective implementation of education policies requires close monitoring, responsible resource management and a commitment to improving outcomes at the school level.

Mr Atanga noted that the success of education reforms should not be judged solely by policies formulated or resolutions adopted at conferences, but by their practical impact in classrooms and the quality of education delivered to children.

He urged participants to translate the discussions and recommendations from the conference into concrete actions that would strengthen discipline, improve teacher performance and enhance learning outcomes across the country.

Faustina Naa Ayele Johnson, ISD