Ghanaian gospel musician Mercy Twum-Ampofo, popularly known as Ohemaa Mercy, has reignited the debate over corporal punishment in schools after calling for the return of caning as a disciplinary measure.

The gospel singer, who has previously worked as a teacher, argued that removing the cane from schools has made it more difficult for teachers to maintain discipline and encourage students to take their studies seriously.

Speaking in an interview, Ohemaa Mercy said her own experience in the classroom convinced her that the fear of punishment made some students more attentive and committed to their studies.

“For me, it is a big problem because students become attentive when they know there is a cane. When there is no cane, it means there is no discipline. Stopping caning in schools, for me, was not the best decision. It should be reintroduced. Some of us had to force ourselves to learn English because we knew our English teacher would cane us if we failed to get the right words,” she said.

Reflecting on her time as a teacher, the musician also recalled using corporal punishment on students she considered particularly difficult to control.

“The one thing they will remember me for is that I used to cane them a lot. I was really caning because the children were very stubborn,” she added.

Her comments are likely to fuel renewed discussions about discipline in Ghanaian schools, particularly over whether corporal punishment remains an effective tool or whether alternative methods should be used to correct students’ behaviour.

While supporters of the ban have argued that students can be disciplined without physical punishment, Ohemaa Mercy’s position highlights the continuing divide over how best to instil discipline in Ghana’s educational system.

Watch the interview below:

Ohemaa Mercy argues that the ban on caning students is contributing to a rise in indiscipline in schools. Do you agree?
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Source: Yvonne Nyarko Agyemang