The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has called for zero tolerance for bullying and criminal conduct in schools, saying educational institutions must remain safe spaces for teaching and learning.

Speaking at a national conference on “Stemming Growing Indiscipline in Schools in an Emerging World” in Sunyani.

The Minister said schools must not tolerate acts of violence, bullying or serious misconduct, describing discipline as essential to nurturing responsible citizens and driving national development.

Mr Iddrisu expressed concern over reports of students carrying weapons to school, substance abuse and increasing incidents of violence in some educational institutions, describing the trend as a national concern that requires a collective response.

He noted that children often receive conflicting messages from their homes, schools and communities, making it imperative for all stakeholders to work together to promote positive values and acceptable standards of behaviour.

He said recommendations from the conference would help shape policies aimed at strengthening discipline across Ghana’s education system.

The conference brought together education administrators, teachers, parents, traditional and religious leaders, policymakers and other stakeholders to discuss practical solutions to the growing challenge of indiscipline in schools.

Bono Regional Minister Joseph Addae Akwaboa, in his remarks, said education should go beyond academic achievement to include character formation, integrity, discipline and responsible citizenship.

He called for stronger parental involvement, effective school leadership, robust guidance and counselling systems, mentorship and values-based education to tackle indiscipline among students.

During a panel discussion, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis, acknowledged that while child-friendly disciplinary measures, safeguarding policies and guidance and counselling systems had been introduced following the abolition of corporal punishment in 2017, implementation remained a major challenge.

He added that the growing influence of technology, social media and changing societal values demands stronger collaboration among parents, schools and communities to instil discipline and preserve Ghanaian values.

A Kenyan educationist from Kenyatta University’s School of Education and Lifelong Learning, Prof. Fatuma Nyaguthii Chege, advocated a whole-community approach to discipline.

She urged stakeholders to prioritise guidance, counselling and parental involvement to help students develop self-discipline instead of relying solely on punitive measures.

The conference continued with breakout sessions, where participants discussed practical interventions to address indiscipline in schools.

Preliminary reports from the sessions are expected to inform recommendations for strengthening discipline in educational institutions nationwide.