Sacked Chiana SHS students: IFEST calls for reformative rather than punitive sanctioning

Executive Director of the Institute for Education Studies (IFEST) Peter Anti-Partey has suggested an alternative sanctioning for the 8 Chiana SHS girls who have been sacked for insulting President Akufo-Addo.

Mr. Anti-Partey says the sanction contradicts the reformative rather than punitive measures the Ghana Education Service itself has been advocating in recent years.

According to him, dismissing the girls will not solve any problem.

“I think that the punishment is too much for them. I think GES and the ministry have in recent years been advocating for reformative measures instead of punitive measures. So anytime a student does something that is contrary to the code of conduct, what the GES advocates is that students should be taken through certain measures that will not deform them but would rather reform them at the end of the day.

“I don’t see how the dismissal is going to reform these girls. I don’t see how this dismissal is going to make them change from what they were doing to be better persons. I think that the GES should take a second look at this particular punishment and rather connect them to the guidance and counselling unit of the school,” he told Martin Asiedu on TV3’s Midday Live Thursday, January 12, 2023.

He is asking the GES to take them through certain exercises and processes for some time and consider for them a probation, rather than cutting “short the education of these girls because of such indiscretion from their side.”

However, Mr. Anti-Partey, after condemning what the girls did opined their deed was a reflection of society, extending the scope of culpability.

“It is a societal problem and I think that what our students do normally is a reflection of what we adults also do. If you look at social media, all over the place people are insulting elders,” he said.

Meanwhile, a parent of one to the culprits is asking the GES to temper justice with mercy and reconsider the punishment since some of the already traumatized students might contemplate suicide.

By onuaonline.com