Adisadel College assault: Calls for scrapping of boarding school system not ideal – Prof Aryeetey

A former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana and Secretary General of the Africa Research Universities Alliance, Professor Ernest Aryeetey has disagreed with calls for the boarding school system in Senior High Schools to be abolished.

According to the renowned educationist, the idea is not ideal and should not be considered.

Professor Aryeetey who was speaking in an interview on Citi FM on Monday, August 7, said scrapping the boarding school system is not the best way to deal with bullying in second-cycle institutions.

Even though he appreciates the fact that the management of boarding schools has become expensive, he said persons who can afford to pay for it should be allowed to do so.

“The way to deal with the problem of today, will not be to scrap the boarding school system. I understand the boarding school system has become extremely expensive to manage.”

“It is so because the state has decided that it wants to carry the burden. Boarding schools should be available to those who want and are willing to invest in them so scrapping boarding schools because the state cannot afford them cannot be the answer.”

“Boarding school should be there for those who can afford it and those who will be assisted can take advantage of it. Those who cannot afford it can use day schools.”

The demand for the abolishment of boarding schools resurfaced after a viral video showed a final-year student physically assaulting a fellow student at Adisadel College.

Following the incident, the Office of the Attorney General has taken the matter to court, but some analysts in the education sector have labeled it as evidence of the breakdown of law and order in schools.

They are of the view that eliminating boarding schools might help curb indiscipline among students.