The National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) has raised the alarm over a surge in violence and lawlessness in Ghana’s schools, warning that the safety of teachers and committed students is increasingly under threat.
In a statement issued this week, NAGRAT said the current wave of student aggression — including the use of weapons and physical assaults on educators — has created an atmosphere of fear and insecurity across many second-cycle institutions.
Citing multiple incidents of violence against teachers, the association pointed to the attack on Mr. Walter Yesotor Adanunyo of Christian Methodist High School, who was beaten for preventing exam malpractice, and Mr. Ebenezer Kateya of Accra High School, who was assaulted for enforcing dress code rules. In another shocking case, a student at OKESS was recently found with a firearm.
“Classrooms are fast becoming danger zones,” the statement read. “What began as occasional misconduct is now spiraling into full-blown threats to life and safety.”
NAGRAT attributes the rise in school violence to a combination of systemic failures — including the admission of students who failed the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE), political interference in school discipline, and bureaucratic barriers that prevent the removal or repetition of underperforming or disruptive students.
With tensions reaching a boiling point, the union’s National Council has issued a clear ultimatum to the Ghana Education Service (GES): Announce bold disciplinary reforms by May 31, 2025, or face union action aimed at protecting teachers.
NAGRAT is demanding three urgent measures:
- A directive from the GES Director-General empowering school heads to summarily dismiss any student who assaults a teacher.
- Automatic expulsion for students found in possession of weapons.
- Authority for school administrators to repeat students who fail academically, without external clearance.
“These are not optional demands — they are emergency measures necessary to prevent tragedy,” NAGRAT said. “We cannot wait for a teacher to lose their life before action is taken.”
The union warned that failure by GES to act decisively will leave it with no choice but to implement its own protective measures, which may disrupt the school system if teacher safety is not prioritized.
As the deadline looms, stakeholders are watching closely to see how the Education Service will respond to growing fears of a crisis in Ghana’s classrooms.
