Former St. Thomas Aquinas Headmaster Urges Vigilance in Schools Amid Viral Bullying Incident

By: Rebecca Okine

Former headmaster of St. Thomas Aquinas Senior High School, Paul Amoasi Baidoo, has called on school authorities to exercise greater vigilance in supervising students, emphasizing that collective staff oversight is crucial for maintaining discipline.

His comments come in response to a disturbing viral video showing a student from Accra Academy Senior High School using a cutlass to flog two of his juniors. The footage has sparked public outrage and reignited discussions on bullying, student discipline, and character development in Ghanaian schools.

Speaking to Zed News, Mr. Baidoo urged teachers to be more vigilant to prevent the occurrence of such incidents.

“Heads of schools should be extra vigilant,” Mr. Baidoo said. “Now we are in the 21st century, the computer age, and considering the types of phones and gadgets that these students bring to school, teachers need to be extra vigilant.”

He further stressed the importance of student welfare, calling on teachers to encourage open communication to allow victims of violence to open up.

“Teachers should be concerned about the welfare of students so that they can report such cases of bullying to them,” he advised.

Additionally, he cautioned students to reflect on the long-term consequences of bullying, highlighting that roles can be reversed in the future.

He also underscored the need for swift action in such cases, stating that appropriate measures should be taken by school authorities to deter future incidents.

Background on bullying in schools

Bullying remains a prevalent issue in Ghanaian senior high schools, with physical, verbal, and psychological abuse often reported among students. Despite school regulations, some students continue to engage in acts of violence, sometimes fueled by peer pressure, power dynamics of senior-junior relationships, and lack of supervision. The recent Accra Academy incident is a reminder of the need for stronger enforcement of disciplinary measures in schools.

Accra Academy responds to viral video

Following public concerns over the viral video, Accra Academy issued a statement reassuring parents, guardians and the public that swift disciplinary action had been taken.

“The student who perpetrated the act has been handed over to the police for further interrogation,” the statement confirmed.

According to the school, the incident occurred nearly two weeks earlier, on January 17, 2024, but was not reported until the video surfaced on social media. The students involved include three third-year students and one first-year student who were all identified as day students. The victims, all first-year students, were also named in the school’s report.

As part of immediate disciplinary measures, the school directed all the perpetrators to stay off campus while investigations continue.

“The students involved in the act are all day students and have been asked to stay away from the school pending further investigation,” the statement added.

Preliminary investigations confirmed that the cutlass used in the assault was brought from home and was not a school-owned item.

The way forward

As discussions on bullying and discipline intensify, educators and stakeholders are calling for stricter supervision, clear reporting systems, and enhanced student counseling services to create a safer school environment. With this latest incident sparking renewed calls for reform, many are looking to the Ghana Education Service (GES) and school administrators to implement lasting solutions that will ensure a secure and disciplined learning environment for all students.