Former Kumasi High School head blames external interference for rising SHS indiscipline

The former headmaster of Kumasi High School, Mr. Bernard Hall-Baidoo, has attributed the growing indiscipline in senior high schools in Ghana to the interference of prominent individuals who intervene when students face disciplinary action.

He said the involvement of politicians, traditional rulers, and some members of the clergy often weakens school authorities and emboldens students to disregard rules.

Mr Hall-Baidoo stressed that constant pleas on behalf of students who breach school regulations have contributed to violent incidents in schools across the country.

“When disciplinary measures are taken, and influential people step in to reverse them, it sends a wrong message to the students,” he said.

Mr. Bernard Hall-Baidoo said this in an interview on Otec FM’s morning show ‘Nyansapo’, hosted by Kwaku Owusu Boateng on Monday, February 23, 2026.

His comments follow a series of violent episodes in senior high schools, including reported assaults on teachers and fellow students.

The latest incident involved disturbing videos that circulated on social media over the weekend, showing students from two separate schools physically attacking one another at Agona Swedru in the Central Region.

Mr Hall-Baidoo noted that such incidents are becoming frequent because some students feel protected by powerful figures in society.

According to him, if school authorities were allowed to enforce their codes of conduct without interference, cases of hooliganism would significantly decline.

“Discipline must be consistent and firm. Once it is compromised, the entire system suffers,” he added.

He called on the public to desist from pleading for students who violate school rules and instead support heads of institutions in maintaining order.

Mr. Bernard Hall-Baidoo emphasised that discipline is not meant to destroy a child’s future but to shape character and instil responsibility.

“When we correct them early, we save them from greater trouble in the future,” he said.

To curb the situation, Mr Hall-Baidoo advocated swift and punitive sanctions for students who breach school regulations rather than always setting up committees to investigate matters.

While admitting that some cases require thorough investigation, he maintained that others demand immediate action to serve as deterrence to potential offenders.

Story by Francis Appiah