Commentary

Dismissal of the Chiana SHS Girls; The Lessons for Parents, Teachers and Politicians

By Nana Sifa Twum, Media and Communications Consultant

Reports have it that the Ghana Education Service (GES) has summarily dismissed eight final-year students of the Chiana Senior High School (SHS) in the Kassena Nankana West District in the Upper East Region for insulting President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The students were found in a widely circulated video misconducting themselves and using vulgar and unprintable words directed at President Akufo-Addo in November last year.
The GES, after citing the unfortunate video, issued a release dated November 12, 2022, condemning the act which it described as being against every educational and moral principle in the society. The service then instituted an investigation and consequently decided to sack all the affected students.

There have been diverse reactions to the news of the sacking of the girls. An educational think tank African Education Watch, for instance, has backed a decision by GES to dismiss the students. Other individuals and institutions, though condemned the act, have described the action by the GES as harsh and called on the Service to reconsider the punishment.

In all this, the GES maintains that it has done the right thing to dismiss the girls. No well-meaning individual will ever side with the girls for this shameful and grievous act against no mean a person than the president of the land. Nevertheless, can the GES take a look at the future of the girls as a paramount issue. It is believed that the Service does not just have any pleasure to truncate the education of the girls at the very tail end of their SHS level of education.

Until this morning when the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, intervened for the gills, the GES perhaps would have not rescinded its decision meaning the future of the stubborn young ladies were not only going to be jeopardised but always resources put in their education going waste.

It is also believed that the GES, as the institutional bedrock of education in the country understands punishment and its purpose. Primarily, punishments are for: first and foremost, for correction retribution; incapacitation; deterrence; rehabilitation and reparation.

The question is how was the dismissal of the girls going to help them make corrections to the mistakes they have committed. And if the educational system is unable to correct such errors in schools, how then do we as a nation win such indiscipline in our schools?

Undoubtedly, there is an urgent need for stringent measures to address indiscipline in our schools and in the larger society. Such disciplinary measures allow children to develop self-discipline and help them become emotionally and socially mature adults. There are many effective techniques that can help teachers and parents to teach and guide such undisciplined children. Obviously, some forms of discipline such as that of the GES will always remain controversial.

It is fascinating therefore that the president and the father of the land, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has used his executive powers to employ the GES to reconsider its decision to sack the girls.

Disciplining children means teaching them responsible behaviour and self-control. With appropriate and consistent discipline. Per the video showing the girls kneeling in remorse, these teenagers have learned about the consequences and have taken unpleasant responsibility for their own actions. The ultimate aim of the GES must rather encourage them to learn to manage both their feelings and behaviour.

Unfortunately, Ghanaian society is increasingly becoming too abusive, especially in the political field. The wrong perception is that those who abuse and insult more are perceived as the good ones. The affected young girls of the Chiana SHS said in their plea to the President, the GES and the school authorities for pardon noted that they emulated their act from social media. How disappointing and shameful this is.

We all must bow down in shame for not training our young ones the proper way to go and that when they are old, they would not depart from it.