By Patrick Biddah

The Minister of Education, Haruna Iddrisu, has expressed deep concern over the increasing cases of students possessing weapons in schools. Describing the trend as a “worrying development,” he called for urgent action to nip the issue in the bud.

Speaking at a joint swearing-in ceremony of the newly appointed Boards of the National School Inspectorate Authority (NaSIA) and the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) on July 3, 2025, the Minister, attributed part of the blame to school inspectors, though he emphasized that parents must also share responsibility.

According to him, the actions of delinquent students are causing irreparable harm to innocent colleagues, and this disturbing trend must not be allowed to continue.

 “This is not a Ghanaian thing,” he stressed, urging the newly inaugurated boards to prioritize the issue through effective supervision and inspection.

“Teachers must supervise students in a way that prevents such incidents, and parents must work closely with educators to reverse this development,” he emphasized.

Mr Iddrisu, tasked the 11-member Board of NaSIA to conduct random inspections in schools to identify and apprehend students who smuggle weapons undetected.

“You are clothed with the authority to uphold discipline and order. You must work with school authorities to deliver on your mandate,” he urged.

He also pledged that the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) would support the board with the necessary logistics and resources to carry out its duties.

In his address to the newly sworn-in Governing Council of NaCCA, the Minister urged the Council to ensure that Ghana’s history is taught accurately and not distorted in any form.

He emphasized the need to maintain the teaching of national culture and heritage, stressing that honesty and integrity must be instilled in every child from the classroom.

Mr  Iddrisu, further expressed concern over the increasing use of mobile phones by students to cheat in examinations, calling on the Council to tackle this growing menace.

He also charged NaCCA with the responsibility of integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and coding into the preschool curriculum, preparing young learners for the demands of a digital future.

The newly sworn-in NaCCA Governing Council is chaired by Prof. Vincent Assanful, with Dr Maabobor Kor Jacob Aaworb-Nang, as the chair of  NaSIA.