NUGS Calls for Social Media Ban for Children Under 1
NUGS says restricting social media access for children under 15 could help improve discipline and promote moral development.
- NUGS proposes a social media ban for children under 15.
- Rashid Ibrahim links social media to rising indiscipline.
- Stakeholders call for stronger moral education in schools.
The President of the National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS), Rashid Ibrahim, has proposed a ban on social media use by children under the age of 15, arguing that the move could help curb indiscipline and promote stronger moral values among young people.
According to him, unrestricted access to social media is exposing children to content and behaviours that could negatively influence their character and development.
Speaking at the fourth Muslim Leaders and Catholic Bishops Meeting Dialogue, Mr. Ibrahim said Ghana should consider adopting measures similar to those introduced in countries such as Australia, France and Indonesia to regulate children’s access to social media.
The dialogue was held under the theme, “Addressing the Challenges of Rising Indiscipline in Our Schools: The Role of Faith-Based Organisations.”
Mr. Ibrahim, who is also a legal practitioner, said limiting social media use at an early age would give parents and schools greater opportunity to shape children’s behaviour and values.
He also attributed rising indiscipline in schools to inadequate parental supervision and weak monitoring within educational institutions. He stressed the need to ensure that children understand the consequences of misconduct and called for appropriate sanctions for juveniles who violate school rules.
Commission Secretary of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Lucille Hewlett Annan, also urged parents to prioritise the upbringing and welfare of their children, noting that raising children requires time, financial resources and consistent support.
“Taking care of children requires money. It requires time, it requires a lot of resources, and it requires prayers,” she said.
Senior Lecturer and Lead Convener of the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Ghana, Dr. Haruna Zagoon-Sayeed, called for increased government support for faith-based organisations to strengthen moral education in schools.
He argued that schools with large student populations often lack the capacity to provide adequate moral guidance, citing the limited number of chaplains available in many institutions.
Associate Professor at the University of Ghana, Very Reverend Father Cosmos Ebo Sabah, also advocated greater authority for educators to enforce discipline. He said the education system places too much emphasis on academic achievement while giving insufficient attention to students’ moral development.
