By: Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Ghana’s Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy has created unintended challenges for discipline and academic accountability, with the “no repetition” rule, restrictions on punishment and the auto-placement system contributing to student complacency and teacher apathy, a study by the Centre for Policy Scrutiny (CPS) has found.
The study, which assessed nine years of the Free SHS policy, identified several measures introduced to expand access and protect students as factors that are now affecting discipline and academic seriousness in some senior high schools.
Presenting the findings, a lecturer at the University of Education, Winneba, Dr Jacob Oppong Nkansah, said the “no repetition” policy had reduced some of the consequences traditionally associated with poor academic performance.
According to him, the absence of repetition as a consequence for poor academic results could reduce the incentive for some students to take their studies and conduct seriously.
The research also identified restrictions on corporal punishment and strict procedures governing disciplinary action as challenges for teachers and school authorities.
Dr Nkansah explained that while the measures were intended to protect students, they had also limited the disciplinary options available to school authorities in dealing with misconduct.
He said this could contribute to teacher apathy, particularly where teachers felt constrained in their ability to enforce discipline effectively.
The study further identified the auto-placement system as another factor affecting student accountability.
According to the findings, the system, while designed to improve access and placement into senior high schools, has raised concerns about students’ sense of responsibility and commitment to their academic choices.
Tablet misuse adds to concerns
The research also raised concerns about the misuse of government-issued tablets by some senior high school students.
Dr Nkansah said the devices, which were introduced to support teaching and learning, were increasingly being associated with disciplinary challenges in some schools.
He said the misuse of the tablets was adding another layer to the difficulties schools face in maintaining discipline and ensuring that technology serves its intended educational purpose.
The findings come as Ghana continues to assess the impact of Free SHS, introduced to expand access to secondary education and reduce financial barriers for families.
The CPS study suggests that while increased access remains a major benefit of the policy, issues surrounding discipline, academic accountability, teacher authority and the supervision of students and learning resources require greater attention.
Dr Nkansah said addressing these challenges would be important to ensuring that the expansion of access under Free SHS is matched by improved academic seriousness and discipline in senior high schools.
