Key Points
- Minister Haruna Iddrisu urges SHS heads to enhance inspections against drugs and weapons.
- The government plans to address ongoing challenges, including staff shortages and financial issues.
- CHASS raises concerns about resources, external interference, and unfair discipline.
The Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has urged heads of senior high schools (SHS) across Ghana to step up their efforts in checking for drugs, knives, and other prohibited items on school campuses.
Focus on safety and discipline in schools
Speaking during a meeting with the Conference of Heads of Government-Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) at the Sunyani Technical University on April 9, 2025, Iddrisu expressed concern about rising safety risks in schools.
He emphasized the need for stronger supervision and more effective inspections to protect students and ensure a disciplined learning environment.
“We must step up inspection and supervision,” Iddrisu stated. “School heads have a responsibility to prevent students from smuggling prohibited items like drugs and weapons into classrooms.”
This meeting marked the first formal engagement between the minister and CHASS since his appointment. Public SHS heads from across the country attended the session, which addressed several longstanding issues in the education sector.
Addressing key challenges in the education sector
Iddrisu acknowledged several challenges facing the education system, including a shortage of non-teaching staff, problems with the double-track system, and unpaid financial obligations left from previous administrations. He promised the government would prioritize these issues and work swiftly to resolve them.
“Education must be treated as a national emergency,” Iddrisu stressed. He urged for greater collaboration across all sectors of the education system to improve conditions for both teachers and students.
Leadership changes in Ghana Education Service
During the meeting, Iddrisu introduced the new leadership of the Ghana Education Service (GES). Professor Ernest Kofi Davis was appointed as the Acting Director-General, with Prof Smile Gavua Dzisi and Dr. Manawaru Issahaque named as deputy directors.
CHASS concerns and government response
CHASS members raised several concerns during the meeting, including inadequate resources, external interference in school administration, and unfair disciplinary actions against certain school heads.
GES officials present at the meeting acknowledged these concerns and assured the heads of fair and transparent processes going forward.
The meeting was part of the Ministry of Education’s ongoing efforts to strengthen relationships with school heads and find practical solutions to the challenges faced by public SHS across the country.
