The General Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), Thomas Musah Tanko, has strongly condemned the recent violence that erupted during an inter-school athletics competition in Agona Swedru in the Central Region.
The disturbances occurred on February 19, 2026, when clashes between Obrachire Senior High Technical School and Swedru School of Business escalated into chaos, leaving several students injured.
Although the Ghana Education Service (GES) has begun investigations into the incident, Mr. Tanko insists that probing the matter is not enough. He is demanding concrete and visible action to address what he describes as rising indiscipline in senior high schools.
According to him, authorities must immediately develop and implement a comprehensive code of conduct to curb what he termed “barbaric behaviour” on school campuses.
“We cannot continue to gather before microphones and cameras to lament whenever such incidents occur,” he stressed. “The time to act is now.”
Mr. Tanko called on the Ministry of Education to urgently convene stakeholders, including teacher unions and school authorities, to formulate a national behavioural framework that will strictly regulate student conduct during school activities.
He emphasized that without decisive intervention and clear disciplinary guidelines, similar incidents could persist, undermining safety and discipline within the country’s educational institutions.
The latest clash has renewed concerns over student discipline and security at inter-school events, with many stakeholders urging swift reforms to prevent further violence.
Story: Nyamebeye Kofi Ansah Sasraku