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

He said schools should not tolerate acts of violence, bullying, or other forms of serious misconduct, noting that discipline is fundamental to nurturing responsible citizens and promoting national development.

The Minister made the call at a national conference on the theme, “Stemming Growing Indiscipline in Schools in an Emerging World,” held in Sunyani in the Bono Region.

The conference brought together education administrators, teachers, parents, traditional and religious leaders, policymakers, and other stakeholders to deliberate on practical measures to address indiscipline in schools.

Mr. Iddrisu expressed concern over increasing reports of students carrying weapons to school, engaging in substance abuse and participating in violent acts, describing the trend as a matter that requires a coordinated response from parents, schools and the wider society.

He observed that many children 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.

The Minister said recommendations from the conference would inform policies aimed at strengthening discipline across Ghana’s education system.

The Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboa, said education should go beyond academic achievement to include character development, discipline, integrity and responsible citizenship.

He called for stronger parental involvement, effective school leadership, enhanced guidance and counselling services, mentorship and values-based education to help address indiscipline among students.

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

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

Also speaking at the conference, Kenyan educationist Prof. Fatuma Nyaguthii Chege of the School of Education and Lifelong Learning at Kenyatta University advocated a whole-community approach to discipline.

She urged stakeholders to focus on developing self-discipline through guidance, counselling and parental involvement rather than relying solely on punitive measures.

The conference continued with breakout sessions, where participants discussed practical strategies for tackling indiscipline in schools. Preliminary reports from the sessions are expected to inform recommendations aimed at strengthening discipline and promoting positive behaviour in educational institutions.