Abla Dzifa Gomashie blames indiscipline on poor parenting, says schools are overwhelmed

Josephine Amuzu 09:15 - 24 February 2026

Abla Dzifa Gomashie blamed rising indiscipline on poor parenting, saying schools are overwhelmed and cannot replace the role of parents. She called for firm consequences and bold action to restore discipline in society.

The Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts and Member of Parliament for Ketu South, Abla Dzifa Gomashie, has called for urgent national reflection on what she describes as the growing culture of indiscipline in Ghanaian society.

In a Facebook post on February 24, 2026, she stressed that the root cause of indiscipline lies in a lack of responsible parenting and the continued tolerance of bad behaviour across various sectors of society.

She argued that the foundation of discipline must be laid at home, stressing that schools cannot replace the role of parents.

It is the role of parents to mould their children. Schools should only add to the foundation parents give. Parents are the beneficiaries of their wards

Gomashie acknowledged that schools are currently overwhelmed and cautioned against ignoring that reality. She said denying the pressure faced by educational institutions would be detrimental to collective efforts to find lasting solutions.

The Minister further criticised what she described as the adoption of policies tied to grants and funding without due consideration for Ghana’s cultural context. According to her, such approaches may weaken traditional value systems if not carefully adapted.

We had no business adopting all manner of policies that come with grants without considering our cultural values

She emphasised the need for clear consequences for misconduct, insisting that discipline cannot thrive in an environment where wrongdoing is ignored or rewarded.

There must be consequences for bad behaviour. You cannot be rewarding bad behaviour and expect well-behaved children or adults

Sharing a personal reflection, Dzifa Gomashie recounted that her late father, who lived to 106 years, never resorted to physical punishment but maintained firm boundaries and rules.

She explained that good behaviour was rewarded while misconduct attracted appropriate consequences, a system she believes instilled lasting values and responsibility.

There were rules and regulations. We were rewarded for good behaviour and punished for bad behaviour.

The lawmaker also pointed out that indiscipline is not confined to homes and schools but can be observed across various sectors, including religion, politics, economics and broader social life.

She argued that children often replicate what they see and test the limits of what they can get away with, adding that society must model the values it seeks to instil.