Editorial: GES Ban On Schools Is A Step In The Right Direction

The Ghana Education Service (GES) in the Eastern Region has imposed a two-year ban on Koforidua Senior High Technical School (SHTS), New Juaben Senior High School (SHS) and New Nsutam Senior High Technical School (SHTS) from participating in all sporting and co-curricular activities. The sanctions follow reported incidents of gang rape and a stabbing incident during a recent inter-school sports competition in Koforidua.

Under the directive announced by the Eastern Regional Director of Education, Ivy Asantewa Owusu, the three schools are prohibited from organising, participating in, or attending events such as sports competitions, quizzes, debates, cadet programmes and entertainment activities. Each school has also been fined GHC 500 and will bear any costs related to property damage or injuries.

The action is grounded in Section 2.17 of the GES Code of Conduct on physical and psychological violence, as well as the Eastern Region Schools and Colleges Sports Association Code of Discipline. Two underage students have been arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit rape and rape. A third suspect, believed to be a former student, is currently at large. In a separate case, another student has been arrested for allegedly stabbing a colleague near the sports stadium.

The decision by the Ghana Education Service to impose a two-year ban on the three schools is not merely a disciplinary action, it is a moral statement. It signals that our educational spaces must remain sanctuaries of safety, learning and character formation, not theatres of violence and criminality.

Inter-school sports and co-curricular events are designed to promote teamwork, discipline, camaraderie and healthy competition. When such platforms are instead marred by allegations as grave as gang rape and acts of stabbing, the very foundation of school culture is shaken. The GES cannot afford to treat these incidents as isolated misbehaviours; they represent a dangerous breakdown of supervision, values and accountability.

Critics may argue that banning entire schools punishes innocent students alongside the guilty. That concern is understandable. However, discipline at the institutional level often serves a broader corrective purpose. Schools are not merely academic centres; they are communities. When violence occurs during organised school activities, it points to systemic lapses, whether in supervision, security, student mentorship or internal disciplinary structures.

Institutional sanctions compel school authorities to re-examine these gaps and implement stronger preventive mechanisms. Moreover, the gravity of the alleged crimes demand a response that reflects zero tolerance. Sexual violence, particularly involving minors, is not youthful exuberance gone wrong but it is criminal conduct with lifelong consequences for victims.

The same applies to knife violence. By invoking specific provisions of the GES Code of Conduct and the Regional Sports Association’s disciplinary framework, the Education Service has acted within established legal and administrative parameters. This strengthens the credibility of the sanctions and reinforces the rule-based governance of schools.

That said, punishment alone is not enough. The two-year suspension period must be used constructively. The affected schools should implement comprehensive reforms: intensified guidance and counseling services, stricter security protocols at events, collaboration with parents and community leaders, and sustained education on consent, conflict resolution and personal responsibility. Without such interventions, the ban risks being symbolic rather than transformative.

Ultimately, the protection of students especially the most vulnerable must take precedence over trophies and public image. If this decisive action restores discipline, deters future misconduct and compels schools across the country to strengthen safeguards at public events, then it will have served a greater good.

The message is clear: educational excellence cannot thrive where safety and dignity are compromised. Schools must be spaces where young people compete fiercely on the field, but respect boundaries off it.

 

 

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