The Ghana Education Service’s alarm over the disturbing rise in bleaching, tattooing and multiple piercings among pupils must not be taken lightly. What was once seen as the indulgence of a few has now become a troubling phenomenon spreading among our young people. This is more than just a question of appearance it is a clear sign of deeper social, cultural and health challenges that demand urgent, holistic responses.
It is sad and, indeed, absurd to see teenagers the future leaders of this country engaging in bleaching and permanently marking their bodies with tattoos at such tender ages. Beyond the obvious health risks, these practices reflect a growing crisis of values and identity. Ghana cannot afford to ignore this.
Government must lead the way by putting in place holistic measures to combat this growing trend. First, the smuggling of harmful bleaching products into the country must be addressed decisively. These creams do not appear on the shelves by magic, they are allowed through porous borders and weak enforcement.
The Food and Drugs Authority, Customs and Security agencies must step up their vigilance to stop the inflow of such dangerous substances that prey on the insecurities of our young people.
At the community level, parents must be brought into the conversation. Too many parents are either unaware of what their children are doing or are willfully turning a blind eye. Head teachers and school authorities should use PTA meetings as platforms to educate parents about the dangers of bleaching and body mutilation. An informed parent is better equipped to guide their child.
Within the schools themselves, House mistresses and masters must enforce discipline. It should be made a matter of routine to search the bags of students with occasional surprise checks to ensure that bleaching creams, unauthorised piercings and other harmful items do not find their way into dormitories.
Schools should not hesitate to institute strict rules against such practices. Pupils who flout these rules with tattoos and multiple piercings should face severe punishment to serve as a deterrent to others.
This is not about being heavy-handed for the sake of it; it is about protecting the moral and physical well-being of our youth. Left unchecked, this phenomenon will only worsen, producing a generation of young people disconnected from their identity, vulnerable to peer pressure and exposed to irreversible health risks.
The GES deserves commendation for raising the red flag, but this is just the first step. It will take coordinated action from government, school authorities, parents and society at large to reclaim the values of discipline, dignity and self-worth among our youth. The future of our nation depends on the choices we make today.
The time to act is now!
