TITLE:
Discipline at a Crossroads: The Rise and Reform of Student Indiscipline in Ghanaian Senior High Schools
AUTHORS:
Bismark Bosso Fermah, Lianyu Cai
KEYWORDS:
School Indiscipline, Socio-Ecological Drivers, Restorative Justice, Positive Discipline Policy
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.14 No.4,
April
1,
2026
ABSTRACT: This study evaluates increasing indiscipline in senior high schools in Ghana, investigating its socio-ecological drivers, policy gaps, and academic impacts. The major contributors are peer influence, poor teacher-student relationships, and weak parental supervision. The findings also reveal that bullying, truancy, and academic dishonesty are connected to overcrowded classrooms, inadequate counselling, and socioeconomic pressures. It compares the post-corporal punishment disciplinary gap with restorative justice. The study recommends setting up a National Positive Discipline Policy, a student-staff discipline committee, community-parent partnerships, and training teachers in trauma-informed approaches. It underscores the need for a collaborative, non-punitive approach to align school rules with youth realities.