Peace Council sounds alarm over epidemic of violence in Senior High Schools

The National Peace Council has issued a stark warning over a spiralling crisis of violence within the nation’s senior high schools, revealing that a staggering six separate incidents of student-related assaults were recorded in just one week.

In a strongly worded press release issued on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, the Council described the wave of attacks as deeply worrying and made an urgent appeal to the Ghana Education Service (GES), parents, and other stakeholders to intervene decisively to restore safety and discipline in educational institutions.

The incidents, spanning at least four regions, paint a grim picture of escalating lawlessness at school functions.

In the Central Region, a student from Obrachire Senior High School remains hospitalised following a brutal attack during a district athletics competition.

The Eastern Region recorded two of the most serious cases during the Super Zonal sports festival in Koforidua. Police reports indicate that a female student from Osino Presbyterian Senior High School was allegedly gang-raped, while a final-year student from Koforidua Senior High Technical School was stabbed and wounded.

Violence also erupted in the Greater Accra Region, where teachers at West Africa Senior High School were reportedly assaulted by students from Frafraha Community Senior High School. In Cape Coast, an inter-colleges sports festival turned violent when a final-year student of the prestigious Adisadel College was attacked by six students from Aggrey Memorial School.

The National Peace Council acknowledged that the Ghana Police Service has moved swiftly to arrest most of the suspects connected to these incidents. It also noted that while the Ghana Education Service has publicly condemned the acts and promised disciplinary action, a more robust response is required.

The Council threw its weight behind a directive from the Ministry of Education calling for investigations to be fast-tracked. It further urged authorities to implement immediate, tangible measures, including:

· Enhanced Security: Deploying improved security protocols in schools, particularly at large gatherings like sporting events.
· Strengthened Counselling: Expanding and reinforcing counselling services to address underlying issues of indiscipline and conflict among students.
· Parental Accountability: Appealing directly to parents and guardians to take a more active role in instilling values of discipline, tolerance, and respect in their children.

Reaffirming its commitment to national stability, the Council stated it would continue its sensitisation programmes in schools, focusing on peace-building, tolerance, and non-violent conflict resolution. It concluded by urging the GES and all stakeholders to adopt and enforce policies that will decisively make Ghanaian schools safe havens for learning once again.