Haruna Iddrisu Tasks GES to Curb Rising Violence and Exam Malpractice in Schools
The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to urgently address the rising spate of violence and indiscipline in schools across the country. Speaking during an engagement session with key stakeholders in education, the minister described the trend as “unacceptable” and “un-Ghanaian.”
“It is not only unacceptable, but un-Ghanaian to hear that a Ghanaian child is in school with a weapon or a machete,” Mr. Iddrisu said. The meeting, attended by officials from the GES led by Director-General Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, and representatives from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC), led by Dr. Rosemond Wilson, Head of the National Office, was part of the minister’s efforts to assess WAEC’s readiness for the upcoming West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and the GES’s role in ensuring a fair and safe examination process.
Describing violent crime in schools as “wholly unacceptable,” the minister tasked GES to introduce random searches on school campuses to detect and deter students from carrying weapons. He warned that if unchecked, school violence could erode the peaceful environment needed for effective teaching and learning.
“We have a responsibility as a government to safeguard the safety and security of both teachers and learners. And therefore, we must begin finding answers to the growing incidence of school violence—some involving weapons and machetes, tragically even firearms,” he stated. “It does not represent Ghanaian values.”
Mr. Iddrisu emphasized the need for the GES to strengthen its inspectorate division as a preventive measure against rising violent incidents in schools, which he termed “a worrying phenomenon.”
On the subject of examination malpractice, the Education Minister expressed deep concern over the increasing use of mobile phones to aid cheating during examinations. He referred to this as a new and alarming trend: “phone-assisted cheating” and even “phone-assisted teaching.”
He said some students had been known to collaborate with certain teachers to undermine the credibility of national examinations and urged both the GES and WAEC to enforce strict rules against such behaviour. “GES and WAEC must take a decisive decision on any student who carries a phone to the examination centre,” he directed.
“You have the support of the state to deal decisively with any student or teacher found culpable of aiding or abetting in examination malpractice,” Mr. Iddrisu assured.
He stressed that character formation cannot be complete without integrity, especially during a student’s formative years. “They must walk through the process of examination only with integrity. That’s why we must advise our students to stay away from any conduct that involves exam malpractice,” he added.
The Minister warned that any breach of exam rules has the potential to damage WAEC’s credibility and Ghana’s educational reputation. He reiterated the government’s commitment to protecting the sanctity of the educational system and instilling core values in the youth.
As preparations for the WASSCE progress, stakeholders are expected to act swiftly on the minister’s directives to ensure a disciplined, secure, and credible examination process.
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