Amnesty International Ghana is deeply concerned by the allegations of sexual assault and other forms of sexual misconduct involving female students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School and the school’s headmaster, Mr. Zakaria Abdulai.
Reports indicate that multiple female students have alleged sexual abuse, and that complaints were reportedly submitted to the school and education authorities months before the investigative report titled “Inside the Dreaded Headmaster’s Bangalow”, by Manasseh Azuri Awuni. If established, any failure by responsible officials to act promptly on such complaints would represent a serious breach of the duty to protect students from violence and abuse.
Ghana’s Children’s Act, 1998 (Act 560), Ghana Education Service Code of Conduct for Teachers and the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29) prohibits and criminalizes the seduction or sexual abuse of a child or student by a teacher in or outside of the school.
Sexual violence is a criminal offence and as such should not be dismissed, concealed, or resolved through informal arrangements that deny survivors protection and accountability. Every allegation must be handled sensitively, fairly, and in accordance with due process, with the best interests of
the affected students at the centre of all decisions.
We acknowledge the directive of the Minister for Education to suspend the headmaster and also note the Criminal Investigations Department (CID)’s probe into the allegations. These are important initial steps; as such, the investigation must be thorough, independent, impartial, and survivor
centred that places the safety, dignity, and rights of the affected students at the center.
We, therefore, urges the Ghana Education Service, the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Police Service and relevant health and social welfare authorities to take the following immediate measures to protect all affected students, witnesses, and their families:
1. Provide survivor-centred support
Affected students must have access to appropriate medical care, psychosocial counselling, legal assistance, and child protection services. Their needs and best interests must guide every stage of the response.
2. Protect affected students and witnesses
The safety, dignity, and privacy of students must be paramount. Authorities must take measures to prevent intimidation, victimisation, retaliation, and the unauthorised disclosure of the identities of affected students, particularly those under 18.
3. Ensure a thorough and impartial investigation
The relevant authorities must establish the facts surrounding the allegations at Obuasi SHS, preserve relevant evidence, and ensure that any person found responsible is held accountable in accordance with Ghanaian law and due process. No individual or institution should be above
accountability.
4. Examine institutional responsibility
The GES and relevant oversight bodies must determine whether safeguarding failures, inadequate supervision, ineffective reporting mechanisms, or the mishandling of complaints contributed to the alleged incident. Where failures are identified, appropriate corrective and disciplinary measures
must follow.
5. Strengthen safeguarding across schools
The authorities must reinforce school safeguarding policies, establish confidential and accessible reporting mechanisms, train teachers, and school administrators to identify and respond to abuse, and ensure that students know where to seek help.
We stand in solidarity with the affected students and their families. The authorities must ensure that justice is served, accountability is upheld, and every child in Ghana can learn in an environment that is safe, respectful, and free from violence.
ENDS
Signed.
Hannah Osei
Director, Amnesty International Ghana
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Edmund Adu at [email protected] | +233 54 334 9041.