Ghana's Education Minister, Haruna Iddrisu, has stated that the government will not protect any teacher found guilty in the Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) sexual misconduct allegations. Speaking at Mfantsipim School's 150th anniversary celebration in Cape Coast, Iddrisu described the case as a source of embarrassment for the state. He assured that his ministry will act once investigations are complete. The minister referred the matter to the police, Attorney-General, and Interior Ministry.
Iddrisu mentioned that the evidence before the Ministry of Education suggests there may be grounds for criminal charges against implicated teachers. However, he noted that his outfit cannot pronounce on guilt, as neither the Ministry of Education nor the Ghana Education Service (GES) is a competent court. The matter has been passed on to the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID), the Attorney-General, and the Minister for the Interior for further action.
The Obuasi SHTS scandal first drew national attention over allegations of sexual misconduct involving students and the school's former headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, who was suspended once the claims surfaced. The case has since fuelled wider debate over how safe Ghanaian boarding schools are for students and what safeguards exist to catch abuse early.
The GES has taken action against two teachers at Aduman Senior High School in the Ashanti Region after a male student came forward with allegations against them. This development has raised concerns about the safety of students in boarding schools. Environment Minister Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings has called for a national register of sex offenders, arguing that outrage alone cannot substitute for concrete safeguards against repeat offenders in schools.
Parliament has pressed for the case to move faster through the justice system, with MPs arguing that the trauma uncovered at the school called for an exceptional response from police and prosecutors. Iddrisu's assurance does not set out a timeline for when police or the Attorney-General might conclude their review of the Obuasi SHTS evidence.
The Education Minister emphasized that the government has no intention of protecting any teacher found culpable in the Obuasi SHTS sexual misconduct allegations. He described the case as a continuing source of embarrassment for the state and a scar for the government. Iddrisu added that his ministry would act once investigations are complete.
The case has sparked a wider conversation about the safety of students in Ghanaian boarding schools and the need for effective safeguards to prevent abuse. The government's response to the allegations and the actions taken by the Education Ministry and other stakeholders will be closely watched by parents and the public.
Key points
- The government will not shield any teacher found guilty in the Obuasi SHTS sexual misconduct scandal.
- The matter has been referred to the police, Attorney-General, and Interior Ministry for further action.
- The case has sparked a wider conversation about the safety of students in Ghanaian boarding schools.
