Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has held a strategic engagement with the Conference of Heads of Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) ahead of a national conference aimed at tackling growing indiscipline in senior high schools across the country.

The meeting focused on the current state of discipline in second-cycle institutions and highlighted the shared responsibility of government, school authorities, parents and other stakeholders in restoring discipline, character and academic excellence within the country’s education system.

The engagement comes as concerns mount over a string of violent and disruptive incidents reported in senior high schools in recent years, prompting renewed calls for a coordinated national response to strengthen discipline and values-based education.

In February 2026, the National Peace Council raised alarm after six violent incidents were recorded in senior high schools within a week.

The reported cases included the assault of a student during a district athletics competition involving Obrachire Senior High School, the fatal stabbing of a final-year student of Koforidua Senior High Technical School during the Super Zonal Sports Festival, the alleged gang rape of a female student at Osino Presbyterian SHS, as well as separate assault cases involving teachers and students at West Africa Senior High School and Frafraha Community SHS.

The latest concerns follow other high-profile cases, including the March 2024 clashes involving students of Christian Methodist Senior High School and Ngleshie Amanfro Senior High School, which resulted in the deaths of two students and reignited national debate over safety and discipline in second-cycle institutions.

Against this backdrop, the Ministry of Education will on July 29 and 30 convene the National Conference on Stemming Indiscipline in Senior High Schools in Sunyani.

The conference is expected to bring together education administrators, teachers, students, parents, traditional and religious leaders, civil society organisations, security agencies and development partners to examine the root causes of indiscipline and propose practical, sustainable interventions.

The strategic meeting with CHASS also provided an opportunity for Haruna Iddrisu to welcome distinguished guests and stakeholders expected to participate in the conference while reaffirming the government’s commitment to working collaboratively with education partners to restore discipline in schools.

According to the Ministry, recommendations from the conference will be consolidated into a comprehensive policy paper to guide the development of a coordinated national framework for addressing indiscipline in senior high schools and strengthening values-based education.

The Ministry expressed confidence that the conference would mark a significant step towards creating safer, more disciplined and academically conducive learning environments for students across the country.