The Upper East Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) has referred the students of Chiana Senior High School (SHS) who misconducted themselves in a viral video to the Guidance and Counselling Unit of the school. 

Some female students of the school in the Kassena-Nankana West District, in a video that went viral, rained insults on President Akufo-Addo, using unprintable words. 

Following their misconduct, the Management of the GES at the national level, in a statement, condemned the act and apologised to the President on behalf of the students, school and members of the public. 

Mr Nathaniel N-yaaba, the Public Relations Officer of the GES, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga, said prior to the investigation by the Disciplinary Committee, the students would undergo guidance and counselling sessions. 

He said the essence was to enable them to relax their minds and compose themselves to continue with their studies while the Committee investigated the matter. 

“We have also invited their parents to assist in the investigation.” 

Mr N-yaaba described their act as unfortunate, saying : “In fact, as a Directorate, we are not happy with what has happened at all. We are grooming these young ones to be responsible in their utterance.” 

He urged parents to take up their responsibility to discipline their children and instil in them proper moral training to avert such acts in the future. 

He said students, especially at the basic level, spent more time with their parents than with teachers, and reiterated the need for parents to be in charge. 

“As it is said, charity begins at home. When parents start well at home, the teachers can model the students, but when parents do not start the training and discipline at home, it will be difficult for the teachers to model them.” 

Mr N-yaaba said the GES was doing its best to instil discipline and proper training in students. 

 “It is in the light of this that the Directorate in 2019 tasked all Municipal and District Directors of Education to form the Guidance and Counselling Teams.” 

“The teams are headed by Coordinators to ensure that these young ones are sensitised on the need to be disciplined. What they have done is uncalled for…” 

He attributed the Region’s poor performances in both the Basic Education Certificate and the West African Senior Secondary Certificate examinations, over the years, partly to indiscipline and bad attitudes of students. 

He advised them to use the various channels of communication in their respective schools to communicate their grievances for redress. 

 “They have Prefectorial Boards and the Students Representative Councils they can use to seek redress on any grievance they may have.”