BY Grace Zigah
The National Teaching Council (NTC) is facing mounting pressure to investigate an alleged physical confrontation between a teacher and a female student at Nyinahin Catholic Senior High School in the Ashanti Region following a formal petition submitted by a coalition of 11 prominent civil society organisations.
The petition, dated June 15, 2026, comes in the wake of a viral video circulating on social media which purportedly captures an altercation involving a teacher and a student on the school’s premises.
The footage has generated widespread public debate about teacher conduct, student welfare and the use of disciplinary measures in Ghanaian schools.
The civil society organisations argue that the incident raises serious concerns about professional ethics, learner protection and compliance with established standards governing the teaching profession.
At the center of the complaint is Eric Buenortey Akpafio, a teacher at Nyinahin Catholic Senior High School, whose conduct the petitioners want thoroughly investigated by the National Teaching Council.
The petitioners maintain that the matter falls squarely within the mandate of the NTC, which serves as Ghana’s statutory regulator of the teaching profession and is responsible for teacher licensing, professional development, ethical oversight and disciplinary processes.
The organisations contend that any allegations involving the treatment of learners by teachers must be subjected to independent scrutiny to ensure accountability and maintain public confidence in the education system.
Leading the petition are some of Ghana’s most respected civil society and advocacy institutions, including ActionAid Ghana, CDD-Ghana, Africa Education Watch and WILDAF Ghana, alongside seven other organisations.
According to the coalition, the incident presents an opportunity for the National Teaching Council to demonstrate its commitment to enforcing professional standards and protecting the rights and dignity of learners across the country.
The petition cites provisions of the Education Regulatory Bodies Act, 2020, which established and strengthened the authority of the National Teaching Council to regulate teacher conduct and enforce professional accountability within the education sector.
The organisations argue that the legislation empowers the Council not only to issue teaching licenses but also to investigate allegations of misconduct and take disciplinary action where appropriate.
In addition to the law, the petition references Ghana’s National Teachers’ Standards, a framework that outlines the ethical and professional obligations of teachers.
Under these standards, teachers are expected to uphold the highest levels of professionalism, ensure the safety and well-being of learners, protect their dignity and promote positive learning environments free from violence and abuse.
The standards further encourage educators to adopt child-centred disciplinary approaches that prioritize guidance, counselling and positive behaviour management rather than physical punishment or confrontation.
The petitioners therefore argue that any conduct perceived to undermine these principles warrants careful examination.
The controversy has reignited broader national conversations about discipline in schools and the evolving expectations placed on educators in modern educational environments.
Historically, corporal punishment and strict disciplinary practices were widely accepted in many Ghanaian schools.
However, educational reforms, child protection frameworks and international best practices have increasingly shifted focus toward non-violent disciplinary methods designed to protect learners while maintaining order in schools.
Child rights advocates have consistently called for stronger safeguards to ensure that students can learn in safe and supportive environments without fear of physical harm or intimidation.
The civil society organisations are therefore urging the National Teaching Council to conduct what they describe as a comprehensive and impartial investigation into the incident.
They want the Council to establish the facts surrounding the alleged altercation, determine whether any professional misconduct occurred and assess whether the teacher involved remains fit to continue practicing within the profession.
The coalition has also called for appropriate sanctions should the investigation establish wrongdoing.
Beyond disciplinary measures, the organisations are requesting that the outcome of the investigation be publicly communicated to ensure transparency and strengthen public confidence in the accountability mechanisms governing the teaching profession.
They further want the National Teaching Council to intensify efforts to train teachers across the country on non-violent disciplinary approaches and child protection principles to prevent similar incidents in the future.
According to the petitioners, safeguarding learners must remain a central priority within Ghana’s education system.
“We trust that the National Teaching Council will treat this petition with the urgency and seriousness it deserves in the interest of protecting learners, upholding professional standards and preserving the integrity of the teaching profession,” the organisations stated.
