MP cautions new SHS students against negative friendships as constituency offers support

Theophilus Vondee, Member of Parliament for Twifo Atti-Morkwa Constituency, has issued a strong warning to newly admitted Senior High School students to guard against negative peer influence as they transition to secondary education. Speaking at a support ceremony in the constituency, the MP stressed that the choices students make regarding friendships could fundamentally shape their academic trajectory and future prospects.

The MP's cautionary message came during a presentation of mattresses and storage trunks to help ease the financial burden on families sending children to SHS. Vondee reminded students that secondary school is primarily a place of learning, not a venue for poor academic performance. "You are going to school to acquire knowledge and skills, not to record abysmal academic performance," he told the beneficiaries, emphasising that maintaining focus on educational goals should remain paramount.

The reality of peer pressure in SHS

Peer influence represents one of the most significant challenges facing Ghanaian secondary school students, particularly those entering an unfamiliar boarding school environment for the first time. The transition from junior high school to SHS involves exposure to new social circles and often greater independence, factors that can increase vulnerability to negative influences. Bad peer groups—whether involving drug use, academic shortcuts, or other destructive behaviours—can quickly derail promising students, a reality Vondee clearly wanted the new cohort to understand.

The MP also encouraged students to lean on their upbringing and family values as anchors. By remembering their backgrounds and allowing their home training to guide their decisions and conduct, students can maintain ethical standards and resist pressure from peers engaging in inappropriate behaviour. This grounding in personal values is often the most effective defence against negative influences in the relatively autonomous SHS setting.

Why it matters for Ghana

Ghana's education system depends critically on students completing secondary schooling and performing well academically. When talented students derail due to peer influence, Ghana loses potential professionals—doctors, engineers, teachers and leaders the nation urgently needs. The national conversation around SHS success must therefore include frank discussions about the social and environmental factors that either support or undermine academic achievement.

District Chief Executive Mr Isaac Yawson complemented the MP's message by reaffirming the government's commitment to creating conducive learning environments. Infrastructure and resources matter, but so do the behavioural choices students make within those spaces. The dual approach—providing material support whilst simultaneously encouraging responsible decision-making—reflects an understanding that successful education outcomes require both systemic investment and individual discipline.

The beneficiaries who received mattresses and trunks expressed gratitude, recognising that such material support reduces the financial strain on families and allows students to focus on their studies rather than basic comfort. This initiative in Twifo Atti-Morkwa represents the kind of targeted constituency-level support that can make measurable differences in school completion and performance rates, particularly for students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

As Ghana continues to expand SHS access and improve quality, messages like Vondee's serve as important reminders that academic success depends not only on buildings and books but also on the personal choices students make daily. New SHS students entering the system would do well to heed the warning: the friends you choose and the values you uphold will ultimately determine whether your secondary education becomes a launching pad for future achievement or a missed opportunity.