World Vision Ghana has sounded the alarm over a surge in bullying incidents across senior high schools, demanding immediate action to protect students and restore safe learning environments.
The call follows reports of violent intimidation at Accra Academy and Zuarungu Senior High School, where students faced physical and psychological abuse—a pattern advocates warn is eroding trust in educational institutions.
“These acts aren’t just ‘schoolyard fights’—they’re systemic violations with lifelong scars,” the organization stated, stressing that bullying undermines mental health, academic performance, and students’ fundamental right to safety. While Ghana’s schools have long grappled with sporadic bullying cases, recent incidents have amplified concerns over inadequate prevention measures and lax accountability.
World Vision’s appeal targets multiple fronts: school authorities must investigate cases swiftly and transparently, while the government is urged to strengthen anti-bullying policies and enforcement. Critics argue existing frameworks, like the 2017 Safe Schools Initiative, lack teeth, with inconsistent implementation leaving students vulnerable.
Central to the recommendations is a push for systemic collaboration. Parents, teachers, and students must unite to foster “cultures of respect,” the group emphasized, advocating for mandatory bullying reporting mechanisms, teacher training on intervention strategies, and student education programs to highlight the consequences of harassment.
The stakes are high. Beyond immediate trauma, studies link bullying to chronic anxiety, depression, and even school dropout rates—a crisis Ghana can ill afford as it battles rising youth unemployment and literacy gaps. Yet solutions remain fragmented. While some schools employ peer mediation or counseling, others lack resources to address the issue proactively.
World Vision’s stance aligns with global campaigns against school violence, but Ghana faces unique hurdles. Cultural norms dismissing bullying as “normal” or “character-building” often silence victims, while fear of stigma prevents reporting. “Many students suffer in silence because they don’t trust the system to protect them,” noted a Kumasi-based child psychologist familiar with the trend.
The organization also underscored the role of digital platforms in modern bullying, urging schools to monitor cyber harassment—a growing concern as smartphone access expands among teens.
In response to the outcry, Ghana Education Service (GES) officials have pledged to “review protocols,” though activists demand concrete timelines. Meanwhile, parents like Adwoa Safo, whose daughter faced bullying in Cape Coast, argue accountability starts at the top: “Teachers and principals must face consequences if they ignore these incidents.”
As the debate intensifies, World Vision reaffirmed its commitment to partnering with stakeholders, offering resources for anti-bullying workshops and helplines. But lasting change, experts say, hinges on sustained pressure—and a societal shift to prioritize empathy over apathy.
For now, students like Kofi Mensah, a 16-year-old survivor of bullying in Tamale, sum up the urgency: “School should be where we learn, not where we learn to fear.”
