Chairman of the Medina-Adenta-Abokobi Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) district, Christian Yaw Adinkra has attributed the current clashes amongst tertiary students in Ghana to the breakdown of discipline at the senior high schools.
He expressed worry over how alumni get themselves involved in such violence on campuses instead of guiding them to pursue discipline and excellence.
“One difficulty I have and still think about is how alumni of various universities get themselves involved in acts of vandalism and commotion by students of their alma mater” Mr Adinkra said on 3FM Sunrise Community Connect on Friday.
The educationist also cautioned university authorities and police handling the cases of students’ clashes on University of Ghana and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) to be mindful of group solidarity because individuals behave differently when they are in a group therefore picking individuals in the group can escalate tension.
According to Mr. Adinkra, the growing indiscipline and violence among students is also due to the excess rights that have been given to them without stressing on responsibilities.
“Yes every child or individual has rights that must be protected but they should also accept that every institution has its rules and regulations that must be adhered to once the individual agrees to be there. You can’t be in there and misbehave in the name of hall spirit or tradition to enforce hall supremacy,” he emphasised.
The GNAT district chairman explained that some of the teachers at the secondary school level have resolved to do their best to shape the students regardless of the hindrances because they are the future leaders.
“If you come to the secondary schools it is getting worse. At that level, students don’t want to take instructions from authorities but those teachers who are concerned will do our best to tone down the useful exuberance in them.
“When we are not able to control them, or maintain a certain level of values and instill in them patriotism, they will move to the university and become worse. That is what we are witnessing” Mr. Adinkra stated.
By Samuel Afriyie Owusu|3news.com|Ghana