Private legal practitioner and President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Rashid Ibrahim, Esq., has attributed the growing incidents of indiscipline at inter-school competitions to lapses in security and planning by the Ghana Education Service (GES) and event organisers.
His comments follow public debate and concerns over violent incidents recorded during recent inter-school events, particularly the just-ended competition in the Ashanti Region, which reportedly resulted in assaults.
According to Mr. Ibrahim, such acts of vandalism are often fuelled by inadequate security presence and insufficient safety checks during these events.
Speaking on Campus Exclusive, he noted that much of the violent behaviour exhibited by students is also influenced by narratives passed down from alumni to current students, often encouraging rivalry between schools.
“I have to blame duty-bearers, the Ghana Education Service and planners of the inter-schools because you cannot leave thousands of students in the hands of just about 10 police officers. As managers of the schools, how do we even search students when they are going onto the field? What measures have we put in place to make sure they do not carry offensive weapons?
“Students always want to explore. Sometimes they hear from alumni that there is rivalry with another school, so when they meet them, they should score them or fight them. As managers of the schools, what have we done about it? How seriously are we taking security? How many police officers are present during these events?” he questioned.
He called on the Ghana Education Service to strengthen security arrangements and enforce thorough checks to ensure students do not carry offensive weapons to such gatherings.
“GES has to find a way of strengthening security and thoroughly search students to make sure they do not carry offensive weapons. Offensive weapons are not only guns or knives; even stones can be used as offensive weapons,” he added.
Mr. Ibrahim also urged parents and guardians to play a more active role in instilling discipline in their children.
“Parents also have a role to play. We must advise our children about the consequences of fighting their colleagues. They went to school to learn, so parents also have a responsibility in disciplining students,” he concluded.
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Story by Oliver Arthur Acorlor | univers.ug.edu.gh
Edited by Gabriel Tecco Mensah
