The Deputy Minister of Education, Dr Clement Apaak, has blamed the growing cases of indiscipline among students partly on the negative influence of social media, misuse of mobile phones and the increasing use of narcotic and unapproved substances.
His comments come after reports that some students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School in the Ashanti Region allegedly assaulted the school’s headmaster following claims that a baby’s body had been buried on the school compound.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Wednesday, August 5, Dr Apaak said the behaviour of some young people was being influenced by a combination of social, technological and peer-related factors.
He identified social media and the misuse of mobile phones as major contributors, noting that students are increasingly exposed to disturbing and inappropriate content online.
“Students are able to see all manner of behaviours, no matter how condemnable and abhorrent, both from within the jurisdiction and beyond.”
According to him, such exposure could create the impression among some young people that they could imitate these behaviours without facing consequences.
Dr Apaak also expressed concern over the use of narcotics and other unapproved substances among young people, stressing that the issue was not limited to senior high schools.
He said addressing indiscipline would require attention to the broader influences shaping the behaviour of young people, including what they consume online, peer pressure and substance use.
