Director of Field Operations of the United Party (UP), Hopeson Adorye, has attributed the decline in academic performance among pupils partly to the abolition of corporal punishment in schools.

His comments come amid concerns over the performance of candidates in the Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) and the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

Speaking on the JoyNews AM Show on Tuesday, September 8, Mr Adorye argued that the absence of what he described as appropriate disciplinary measures had weakened discipline among pupils and affected their focus on learning.

He also identified inadequate supervision, particularly in public schools, as another factor affecting teaching and learning.

According to Mr Adorye, private schools generally maintain closer supervision because of the need to protect their academic standards, while some public schools do not have the same level of monitoring.

He alleged that some teachers fail to actively teach during instructional hours, instead spending time on their phones or engaging in conversations.

Mr Adorye therefore called for stronger supervision across the public education system to ensure teachers remain committed to their responsibilities and pupils receive the attention required to improve academic outcomes.

“We need to check all these things and make sure that there is proper supervision in our system,” he said.

He maintained that strengthening discipline and supervision in schools would be necessary to address the factors contributing to poor academic performance.