Education is not only about passing exams or earning certificates. At its core, it is about shaping young people into responsible, disciplined, and purposeful citizens who can contribute positively to society.
In view of the growing social and educational challenges facing young people in Ghana, I as a visionary humanitarian, respectfully propose to the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES), the introduction of Guidance and Counseling as a compulsory subject in Junior High Schools (JHS).
Today, many pupils move through the basic education system without proper guidance on how to choose subjects, plan careers, or develop themselves personally and socially. As a result, some make poor academic and career choices that later lead to frustration, low performance, lack of motivation, and a weak attitude toward work and national development.
Even more worrying is the rise in social challenges among adolescents. Issues such as school dropout, teenage pregnancy, drug and substance abuse, indiscipline, examination malpractice, and negative peer influence are becoming increasingly common. These problems continue to limit the potential of young people and affect national progress.
These realities show the urgent need for a structured system that guides students early in life before they make irreversible mistakes.
Recent developments in Ghana’s education sector show that the importance of guidance and counseling is already being recognized. The Ghana Education Service (GES) has been strengthening school-based counseling services and organizing training programmes for guidance coordinators to improve student support.
However, despite these efforts, gaps still exist. Many schools lack trained professional counselors, and in some cases, teachers assigned to counseling duties are already overburdened and do not have adequate resources. As a result, many students still do not receive the consistent support they need.
These challenges show that while counseling exists in principle, it is not yet strong or structured enough at the Junior High School level to reach every learner effectively. This is why there is a need to take a stronger step by making Guidance and Counseling a formal subject in the curriculum.
Doing so would ensure that every student receives structured training in key life areas such as self-awareness, emotional intelligence, career guidance, moral development, and decision-making skills. It would help learners understand their strengths and interests early, so they can make better academic and career choices.
In addition, the subject would help build discipline, integrity, and responsible citizenship. Students would learn how to manage peer pressure, build healthy relationships, resolve conflicts peacefully, and make positive life decisions. This would also help reduce issues such as corruption tendencies, drug abuse, and other behaviours that negatively affect society.
This proposal is not meant to replace the role of parents, teachers, or religious institutions. Instead, it is meant to support and strengthen their efforts by providing a structured school-based system that ensures every child receives proper guidance.
For successful implementation, the Ministry of Education and GES may consider training specialized guidance teachers, strengthening counseling units in schools, and developing simple but effective teaching materials for JHS learners. Strong collaboration with parents and communities will also be essential.
Ultimately, a nation’s greatest asset is its people. Investing in the moral, emotional, and career development of young people is investing in Ghana’s future.
Introducing Guidance and Counseling as a subject at the Junior High School level will be a practical and forward-looking step toward building disciplined, informed, and productive citizens who can contribute meaningfully to national development.
I respectfully urge the Ministry of Education, GES, policymakers, and all stakeholders to give serious attention to this proposal for the benefit of both present and future generations.
ABOUT THE WRITER
Bencha George is an IT Specialist, Student Researcher in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML), Building Information Modeling (BIM) and Digital Twin Technology, and Former Parliamentary Candidate and an advocate for educational reform and youth development in Ghana
Email: [email protected] Or WhatsApp: +233247792954
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