Tattoos, piercings, bleaching boom among School Children – GES

• Posted on May 6, 2024May 6, 2024
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has brought to light a concerning trend of increased tattooing, multiple piercings, and skin bleaching among school children, labeling it as a worrying phenomenon.

During visits to various districts in the Central Region as part of the ‘Life Skills Programme,’ the GES observed a surge in students adorning conspicuous tattoos with unconventional names and meanings, along with adopting multiple piercings.

Priscilla Christabel Eshun, the Central Regional Girls Education Officer of the GES, expressed disbelief at the extent of the issue, highlighting instances where students had bleached their skin excessively, leading to peeling and unpleasant odors.

These revelations were unveiled by Eshun at the Second Quarter Sub-Implementing Partners Review Meeting focusing on sexual and gender-based violence, organized with support from the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) and facilitated by the Regional Coordinating Council.

Eshun emphasized that the popularity of such practices among students, often driven by fashion trends, disregards the potential health and socio-economic repercussions, urging students to consider the broader implications.

Furthermore, the GES noted a concerning trend where adolescent boys opted to leave school for various reasons and engaged in tricycle operations, with many young girls forming relationships with these boys primarily for financial support.

Eshun disclosed that these girls were utilizing the monetary assistance for necessities like sanitary pads and personal items, underlining the risky allure of financial incentives leading to detrimental consequences.

In response to these alarming trends, the GES reiterated its stance against tattooing, multiple piercings, and skin bleaching as stipulated in its Code of Conduct for students in pre-tertiary schools.

Eshun elaborated on the dress code expectations outlined in the Code of Conduct, emphasizing the importance of neatness, adherence to prescribed attire and footwear, and the prohibition of accessories such as chains, bangles, caps, and bracelets.

Moreover, the guidelines extend to personal grooming, advocating for decent haircuts, cleanliness, and modesty, advising against extreme styles and colors, with male students encouraged to maintain styled haircuts and clean-shaven beards.

The GES’s efforts to address these concerning trends underscore the necessity for holistic education encompassing life skills and responsible decision-making to steer students towards positive and healthy choices.

By Vincent Kubi