Education Minister Urges SHS Heads to Improve Checks for Drugs and Weapons

The Minister for Education, Mr. Haruna Iddrisu, asked senior high school (SHS) heads to tighten inspection routines to prevent students from bringing in drugs, knives, and other banned items.

He spoke during a meeting with members of the Conference of Heads of Government-Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS) at Sunyani Technical University.

Mr. Iddrisu raised concerns about rising safety issues in schools and called for stronger supervision to keep students safe and maintain discipline.

“We must increase inspection and supervision,” he said. “School heads have a duty to stop students from smuggling dangerous items like drugs and weapons into the classroom.”

This was his first official meeting with CHASS since becoming minister. SHS heads from across Ghana gathered to discuss ongoing problems in education.

He admitted that several challenges still exist, including:

• A lack of non-teaching staff
• Issues with the double-track system
• Unpaid government debts from previous years

Mr. Iddrisu assured them the government would take swift action to address these problems, emphasizing that education must be seen as a national emergency. He called for teamwork among all those involved in education to help improve conditions for teaching and learning.

At the event, the minister also introduced new leaders for the Ghana Education Service (GES):

• Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis – Acting Director-General
• Prof. Smile Gavua Dzisi and Dr. Manawaru Issahaque – Deputy Directors

CHASS members took the opportunity to voice their concerns about:

• Lack of resources
• Outside interference in managing schools
• Unfair disciplinary actions against some headteachers

GES officials present at the meeting acknowledged these complaints and promised fair treatment moving forward.

This meeting was part of the Ministry’s plan to work more closely with school leaders and find practical solutions to challenges in Ghana’s public SHSs.