GES Raises Alarm: Students Flaunting Tattoos, Piercings, and Bleached Skin in Schools
GES Raises Alarm: Students Flaunting Tattoos, Piercings, and Bleached Skin in Schools
The Ghana Education Service (GES) has raised concerns over the increasing prevalence of tattooing, multiple piercings, and bleaching among students, labeling it as a worrying trend.
Ms. Priscilla Christabel Eshun, the Central Regional Girls Education Officer of the GES, expressed surprise at finding young pupils with bold tattoos and piercings during visits to selected districts in the Central Region as part of the ‘Life Skills Programme.’
The GES noted instances of teenage pregnancies, cohabitation, and financial dependency among girls, affecting their education.
During the Second Quarter Sub-Implementing Partners (IPs) Review Meeting on sexual and gender-based violence, Ms. Eshun highlighted these issues, including instances where students had bleached their skin excessively or had multiple piercings, often without considering the health or socio-economic consequences.
She emphasized that such practices violate the GES’s Code of Conduct, which prohibits tattooing, bleaching, and improper dressing.
The Code of Conduct also regulates personal grooming, stressing the importance of neatness and moderation in hairstyles and appearance.
Sanctions for violating the Code range from confiscation of unauthorized items to disciplinary action and supervised shaving of beards or extreme hairstyles.
Meanwhile, in a separate incident in 2013, twelve female students from T.I. Ahmadiyya Senior High School were suspended for having tattoos with their boyfriends’ names on their bodies.
The headmistress of the school, Ms. Zainab Adams, confirmed that the students were sent home to remove the tattoos before being allowed to return to school.
These incidents highlight a broader concern about discipline in schools and the need to enforce regulations to maintain a conducive learning environment.
