Feature Documentary by Ngamegbulam Chidozie Stephen
The sun rises early over Ghana’s Upper East Region, casting a golden hue over the flat plains and scattered school compounds. For generations, these institutions, forty-nine senior high schools and several technical and vocational centers, have stood as beacons of hope, preparing the young for brighter futures.
But in recent times, a cloud has settled over these grounds. What once were sanctuaries of learning have become, with troubling frequency, sites of unrest. Desks overturned, windows shattered, staffrooms vandalized, student riots, once rare, have become alarmingly common, leaving educators, parents, and leaders searching for answers
It began as a whisper, a phone stolen in a dormitory, a rumor of unfair punishment, or the discontent over a meager meal. But these minor sparks soon flared into flames. Reports from ApexNewsGH revealed a disturbing trend: students, once lauded as the torchbearers of the region’s future, were now, in too many cases, undermining their very schools through acts of defiance and destruction.
At the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) office, the atmosphere was somber. Mr.William Aduum, the regional director, sat behind his desk, stacks of disciplinary reports at his elbow. “Parents are not allowed to give phones to their wards to bring to school,” he explained. “But the students sneak them in. They hide them. When a phone is stolen, investigations begin, by the students themselves. Bullying follows. And when a student is pushed too far, trouble seeks him out.”
Such incidents, he noted, were no longer isolated. “Every administration since the Fourth Republic has seen at least one or two riots. These disrupt academic activities and leave lasting scars on the educational landscape.”
To understand the surge, one must look beyond the headlines. Professor David Miller, President of the Miller Institute for Transdisciplinary and Development Studies, had spent years studying youth behavior. “Rioting in schools, especially second-cycle institutions, is on the ascendancy nationwide,” he said gravely. “There are several causes. The abuse and misuse of drugs is a major one, both in and outside school. Habits formed at home follow students back to the classroom, poisoning the environment.”
Professor Miller listed seven factors behind the unrest, four major, cross-cutting causes and three more specific to individual institutions. Alongside drugs, he identified breakdowns in communication, lack of awareness about the consequences of actions, and shifting generational expectations. “This generation is complex, sensitive, and active,” he said. “We need to reform how we communicate with them. Many don’t understand the full impact of their actions.”
https://youtu.be/GSQR3-T6EaE.
Reverend Thomas Abukari Thomas, chairman of the Upper East Regional Christian Council, echoed these concerns. As head pastor of the Baptist Church in Bolgatanga, he saw firsthand the devastation wrought by riots. “Government has spent huge sums on infrastructure, which we desperately need. Yet, students destroy these scarce resources, often over misunderstandings or misinformation.”
The role of discipline, or the lack thereof, soon surfaced as a recurring theme. Honorable. Volmeng David Nansong, Upper East Regional Secretary for the Parent-Teachers Association, was blunt: “The abolition of corporal punishment is at the root of this. Teachers are afraid to enforce discipline. Back in the day, strikes and riots were rare. Now, security forces have to camp on campus to prevent unrest from spreading. The Ghana Education Service should reintroduce demotion and promotion based on behavior. Students must know there are consequences.”
Yet, even as some called for a return to old methods, others pointed to deeper fractures. Alhaji Sumalia Issaka, Chairman of the Upper East Regional Peace Council, spoke of a worrying trend: tribal divisions among students, which sometimes determined who could become a senior prefect or even a headmaster. “If you’re not a Kassena-speaking boy, you can’t be senior prefect in Navrongo. If you’re not Gurune, you can’t lead in Big Boss. This tribalism is spreading to staff appointments too.”
In the midst of turmoil, some students tried to uphold the values their schools instilled. One young student from Zamse, known among peers as an “Elephant,” spoke candidly. “It’s unbearable for those of us who want to learn. We’re influenced by friends into acts we don’t support. If you speak out, you become a target. Sometimes, even the innocent end up paying fines for acts they did not commit. We need more education about the dangers of such behavior.”
Francis Adingo, President of the Upper East Youth Association, agreed that grievances, if genuine, should be addressed through proper channels. “There are rules and regulations. Peaceful demonstrations are within our rights, but vandalism is not. Substance abuse is a big part of the problem. And parents are often unconcerned, some don’t even check what their children take to school. Weapons have been found in dormitories. Students have burned down dorms, libraries, places meant for their own growth.”
With tensions mounting, school leaders scrambled to respond. The regional TVET director, William Aduum, doubled down on counseling. “We’ve mandated all schools to strengthen their guidance and counseling units. One counselor looking after 2,000 students isn’t enough. I’m visiting schools myself to see how we can improve.”
Mr. Razak Abdul Korah, Upper East Regional Director of Education, described the escalating riots as a “major concern for all stakeholders.” Investigations were underway, but he believed the ultimate solution lay in civic education. “Some students don’t realize the long-term consequences of their actions. We need to educate, and re-educate, them, bring in career people and those who have struggled with drugs to share their stories. We used to have civic education in schools. It’s time to bring it back.”
Other voices, like that of social justice advocate Mr. Nyeya Yen, pointed to practical causes. “Poor food is a major trigger. A hungry man is an angry man. Corruption, poor salaries, and theft of school supplies all play a role. Sometimes, cooks take food home, and students are left with less. This can lead to riots.”
The Upper East Regional Minister, Honorable Donatus Atanga Akamugri, had seen the unrest up close. “Since I took over, I’ve dealt with several riots. At St. Benedict’s, it began with a stolen phone and almost escalated into a tribal conflict. At Zuarungu, another phone theft led to violence. Students know phones are banned, so when one is stolen, they don’t report it, they take matters into their own hands.”
He recounted welfare protests as well: “At Sirigu, students rioted because the water supply broke down and authorities failed to fix it. They had to fetch water from the community, competing with locals. Others complained about lack of toilet facilities, forcing them to defecate in the open, putting girls at risk. Sometimes, it’s not just indiscipline, but real hardship.”
The consequences of these riots are severe. At Bolgatanga Technical Institute, the events of August 14, 2025, stood as a stark warning. Suspensions for repeated misconduct, wearing improper attire, inciting others, threatening prefects, triggered a violent backlash. Students vandalized vehicles, destroyed the staff common room, and rampaged through administrative offices.
Minister of Education, Honorable Haruna Iddrisu, visited the region in the aftermath. He was visibly shaken by the scale of destruction. “I have asked that disciplinary actions be strictly enforced without fear or favor. Heads of institutions have seven days to finalize their reports. Those responsible must be punished according to the code of conduct.”
As investigations unfolded, the roots of the unrest grew clearer. Mr. Richard Akumbas Ayibilla, Upper East Regional Chairman of the Conference of Heads Assisted Secondary Schools (CHASS), outlined the recurring cause: “Phones. At St. Benedict’s, BoTech, Awe, and Sandema, it’s always about phones. Instead of focusing on learning, students are obsessed with these devices. They could use them for research, but instead, it’s TikTok and social media.”
Yet, the problem was not simply technology. It was a perfect storm of factors: weak discipline, tribalism, substance abuse, inadequate facilities, poor food, and communication breakdowns.
The impact of the riots has spread far and wide. For students, it means lost learning time, damaged reputations, and sometimes, criminal records. For teachers, it is demoralizing, many now fear to enforce rules, worrying about backlash or accusations of abuse. Parents are caught between concern for their children’s safety and frustration over their behavior.
For the community, the stakes are even higher. Infrastructure, painstakingly built with scarce resources, is destroyed in minutes. The trust between students, staff, and the wider public is eroded. And the region’s dream of a brighter future is, for now, under threat.
What can be done? The solutions are complex, requiring the involvement of every stakeholder.
Strengthen Counseling: More counselors, more frequent sessions, and greater investment in guidance services.
Revive Civic Education: Bringing back lessons in citizenship, the consequences of violence, and the importance of peaceful protest.
Reform Discipline: A balanced approach that enforces rules but respects human rights, possibly reconsidering forms of discipline that maintain order without abuse.
Improve Facilities and Welfare: Addressing the legitimate grievances over food, water, and sanitation.
Combat Tribalism: Promoting inclusivity in school leadership and staff appointments, ensuring merit, not tribe, determines advancement.
The story of student riots in the Upper East Region is one of warning, but also of possibility. For every act of destruction, there is a student standing up for what is right, a teacher counseling a troubled youth, a parent demanding better. The region’s schools have weathered crises before. With determination, honest reflection, and a willingness to adapt, they can overcome this one as well.
As the documentary “The Broken Chalkboards” concludes, it leaves viewers and readers with a challenge: to look beyond the shattered glass and scorched walls, to the students themselves. For within them lies the region’s hope, not just as future doctors, engineers, and leaders, but as citizens capable of learning from the past and building a better tomorrow.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com
Email: apexnewsgh@gmail.com
