“The Cane Is Not Coming Back to the Classroom” – GES Reaffirms Ban on Corporal Punishment

The Public Relations Officer of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Daniel Fenyi, has reaffirmed that corporal punishment will not be reintroduced into Ghanaian schools, stressing that teachers must adopt alternative methods of discipline.

Speaking in a media engagement, Mr. Fenyi stated that although some teachers believe the ban on corporal punishment has weakened their authority, the policy remains unchanged.

“The cane is not coming back to the classroom regardless of how teachers feel about it,” he said, adding that the education system has evolved and requires modern approaches to classroom management.

He further urged teachers to report cases of assault by students to the police, instead of resorting to physical punishment or retaliation.

Mr. Fenyi also strongly cautioned teachers against engaging in sexual relationships with students, describing such conduct as unacceptable and harmful to both discipline and respect within schools.

According to him, any teacher who engages in sexual misconduct with a student undermines authority and damages the learning environment, stressing that such cases will be dealt with under existing laws and GES regulations.

He also referenced recent allegations involving a teacher and a student of Bole Senior High School in the Savannah Region, noting that investigations are ongoing.

On broader discipline in schools, the GES PRO emphasized that maintaining order requires the involvement of multiple stakeholders, especially parents. He noted that discipline begins at home, where children first learn acceptable behaviour.

“Parents have a role to play. The training and discipline children receive at home largely determines how they behave in school,” he said.

Mr. Fenyi urged parents to be more attentive to their children’s behaviour and correct misconduct early to support teachers in maintaining discipline.

He concluded that effective collaboration between parents, teachers and education authorities remains key to addressing indiscipline in schools across the country.