The administration of Accra Academy Senior High School has recognized a significant shortage of on-campus personnel as a key contributor to the increasing indiscipline among students.
Headmaster Emmanuel Ofoe Fiemawhle disclosed that there are currently only 22 staff members residing on campus, responsible for supervising approximately 5,000 students. He emphasized that this considerable deficiency impedes effective student oversight and management.
These issues were highlighted during a visit from the Education Committee of Parliament to the institution. ‘We have 22 staff members who fulfill roles as hall masters and other support positions. Consequently, it is challenging to manage the students effectively as boarders.
The root causes of indiscipline can be traced back to the insufficient number of staff available for student supervision. I believe this should be prioritized within the GETFund initiatives. For some time, I have not received any support for residential infrastructure,’ he remarked.
In reply, Peter Nortsu-Kotoe, Chairman of the Education Committee, recognized the staffing difficulties encountered by numerous schools and assured that measures are being implemented to resolve the situation.
We have observed a significant staff shortage in the schools we visited. For instance, Accra Academy, which has nearly 6,000 students, is in need of additional staff, which must be addressed.
Therefore, we advise the Minister of Education to advocate for approval from the Minister of Finance to facilitate the recruitment of teachers and support staff for senior high schools.
