{"id":1661,"date":"2026-06-25T16:05:07","date_gmt":"2026-06-25T16:05:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=1661"},"modified":"2026-06-25T16:05:07","modified_gmt":"2026-06-25T16:05:07","slug":"when-the-system-fails-rethinking-discipline-in-senior-high-schools","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=1661","title":{"rendered":"When the system fails: Rethinking discipline in senior high schools"},"content":{"rendered":"
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In recent weeks, Ghana has witnessed a disturbing rise in reports of indiscipline and violence in our schools. <\/strong><\/p>\n

From student-on-student assaults to clashes during inter-school events, and even attacks on teachers, the signals are clear: something is not working.<\/p>\n

The conversation, however, is not new. For years, Ghana has taken important steps to discourage the use of corporal and humiliating punishment in schools.<\/p>\n

This is a commendable move, aligned with global best practices in child protection and education.<\/p>\n

But in doing so, we have made a critical mistake. We have taken something away \u2014 but we have not replaced it. And now, the consequences are showing.<\/p>\n

Challenge<\/h2>\n

Across many of our schools today, a quiet but dangerous narrative is taking root, one that is shaping how society thinks, how teachers feel, how students behave, and ultimately, how our education system responds to discipline.<\/p>\n

It is the belief that \u201cwithout corporal punishment, children will become undisciplined and uncontrollable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now, let\u2019s be honest with ourselves.<\/p>\n

This belief did not emerge from nowhere. It is born out of real frustrations: classrooms where noise replaces order, where authority feels weakened, and where teachers, stripped of the one tool they always relied on, feel exposed and helpless. In that sense, the observation is real.<\/p>\n

But the diagnosis is wrong. The challenge we face is not the removal of corporal punishment. The real crisis is what has not been replaced.<\/p>\n

Directives<\/h2>\n

We told teachers to stop.
We did not teach them how to lead differently.
We removed the old system.
We did not build a new one.<\/p>\n

And so, in the absence of structured, practical, and culturally relevant alternatives, many teachers are left to improvise; often under pressure, often without support, and often at the cost of effective classroom management.<\/p>\n

Let us be clear: discipline is not the enemy. In fact, discipline is essential for learning, growth, and character formation.<\/p>\n

But discipline must evolve. It must move from fear to respect, from control to influence, from punishment to purpose.<\/p>\n

Skills<\/h2>\n

When we fail to equip teachers with the skills of positive discipline, clear expectations, consistent consequences, emotional intelligence, restorative practices, and proactive classroom systems, we unintentionally set them up to fail.<\/p>\n

And when teachers struggle, students suffer.<\/p>\n

This is the gap we must urgently close because the future of our classrooms will not be determined by what we remove, but by what we intentionally build in its place.<\/p>\n

Reality<\/h2>\n

In my work with educators across Ghana over the years, and more recently in Germany, where I facilitated training for teacher trainers and teachers, one thing is consistent: Teachers want order. Teachers want discipline, and teachers want the best for their students.<\/p>\n

But many are currently handicapped, helpless and frustrated.<\/p>\n

They are navigating classrooms where:<\/p>\n

\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Traditional disciplinary tools are discouraged\u00a0
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Modern alternatives are not taught\u00a0
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Behavioural challenges are increasing\u00a0
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Expectations remain high<\/p>\n

This is not a resistance to change. This is a capacity gap.<\/p>\n

Discipline not punishment<\/h2>\n

We must begin by correcting a fundamental misunderstanding.<\/p>\n

Discipline is not punishment.<\/p>\n

Discipline is teaching.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Punishment asks: What penalty does this child deserve?<\/p>\n

Discipline asks: What does this child need to learn?<\/p>\n

When discipline is reduced to fear and intimidation, it produces compliance, not character; and compliance does not sustain discipline, character does.<\/p>\n

And when discipline is built on understanding, it produces responsibility.<\/p>\n

What we are missing<\/p>\n

Ghana does not lack discipline policies. Ghana lacks a discipline system.<\/p>\n

Our teachers have not been systematically trained in:<\/p>\n

\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Positive and non-violent discipline approaches\u00a0
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Behaviour management grounded in psychology\u00a0
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Emotional regulation in the classroom\u00a0
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Practical tools for managing disruption without the use of fear and violence<\/p>\n

This gap begins in our schools and continues into our Colleges of Education, where future teachers are trained.<\/p>\n

If we do not address it, we will continue producing teachers who are unprepared for modern classrooms.<\/p>\n

Elsewhere<\/h2>\n

In Germany, where I recently facilitated workshops on Positive Discipline, Classroom Management, and Teacher Mental Health for the Brandenburg State Institute for Schools and Teacher Training (LIBRA), the approach is clear:<\/p>\n

Teachers are not left to figure discipline out on their own.<\/p>\n

They are trained, and they are equipped.<\/p>\n

They are supported with structured frameworks that help them build internal regulation in learners \u2014 not just enforce order. And the result is not chaos. It is structured with dignity.<\/p>\n

The Way Forward<\/h2>\n

Ghana does not need to return to corporal punishment. Ghana needs to move forward \u2014 with intention.<\/p>\n

We must:<\/p>\n

\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Train teachers in practical, evidence-based discipline methods\u00a0
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Integrate positive discipline into the Colleges of Education curriculum\u00a0
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Support teachers with tools, not just policies\u00a0
\u2022 \u00a0 \u00a0Shift public understanding of what discipline truly means<\/p>\n

This is not optional.<\/p>\n

It is urgent.<\/p>\n

We should not wait for the next case of indiscipline, talk about it for a few days and then move on to the next case.<\/p>\n

By not taking proactive actions today, we are creating many more cases of indiscipline and violence in the future.<\/p>\n

Opportunity<\/h2>\n

This moment presents us with a choice. We can continue reacting to indiscipline.<\/p>\n

Or we can address its root cause.<\/p>\n

Through my work in Ghana and internationally, I have developed the Bismark Tay Positive Discipline Framework\u2122, an approach designed to equip educators with practical tools to build responsible, self-regulated learners without fear or humiliation.<\/p>\n

The issue is not that Ghana has banned corporal punishment.<\/p>\n

The issue is that we have not trained teachers on what to do instead. Until we do, the cycle will continue.<\/p>\n

The future of discipline in Ghanaian schools will not be decided by policy instructions alone.<\/p>\n

It will be decided by what teachers are equipped to do every day in the classroom.<\/p>\n

Discipline is not about control.<\/p>\n

It is about development.<\/p>\n

And development requires intention.<\/p>\n

The writer is a Life Coach, Leadership & Education Consultant
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.<\/joomla-hidden-mail>
Mobile: 0243442738<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n


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