The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights has called on the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) to reintroduce and enforce safe disciplinary standards in Senior High Schools across the country.

The call follows a viral video allegedly showing some teachers of Techiman Senior High School physically assaulting a student, an incident the Committee has described as disturbing.

In a press statement issued on Monday, November 2, and signed by its Chairman, Ernest Yaw Anim, the Committee expressed concern over what it considers a growing culture of indiscipline in second-cycle institutions, involving both school authorities and students.

The Committee said the situation required urgent attention and called for the reintroduction of appropriate disciplinary measures to promote discipline while safeguarding the rights and dignity of students.

It warned that failure to address the situation could undermine Ghana’s commitment to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 4, which seeks to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education for all.

The Committee also highlighted the need to protect children’s rights under existing domestic and international legal frameworks, including Article 25(1) of the 1992 Constitution, Section 8 of the Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), and Article 28(2) of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

It stressed that disciplinary practices in schools must comply with these legal provisions and ensure that students are protected from abuse and degrading treatment.

The Committee reaffirmed its commitment to protecting the right to education, stressing that maintaining discipline in schools must go hand in hand with respect for human rights and the provision of quality education for every Ghanaian child.