The Minister of Education, Honourable Haruna Iddrisu, has announced decisive steps to support victims of alleged sexual abuse at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS).
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, October 26, Honourable Iddrisu outlined the government’s response to the allegations involving the school’s headmaster, Abdulai Zakaria, emphasising that the welfare of affected students and the accountability of anyone found culpable would guide the response.
“We will get trauma-informed support for victims, including the 19 affected students. We will also facilitate proper reporting mechanisms for victims to report.”
Honourable Haruna Iddrissu
The Minister explained that he began taking action after investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni brought the matter to his attention. He commended the journalist for bringing the allegations into public view, noting that the concerns require a decisive response irrespective of the political affiliation of those involved.
Mr Iddrisu also underscored the need to protect whistleblowers whose disclosures help bring possible wrongdoing to light. He affirmed that journalists and other individuals who report suspected abuse should be safeguarded, while the allegations themselves must be assessed through lawful procedures.
In this regard, the Education Ministry is engaging telecommunications company MTN to “establish a hotline with the Ministry of Education to facilitate open reporting of these matters” by students, parents, school staff and members of the public and provide information to support investigations.
The proposed channel is intended to make reporting more accessible and help education authorities respond to complaints involving the safety of learners. Honourable Iddrisu indicated that the government wants reports to lead to appropriate investigations and decisive action against anyone found to have abused students.
Beyond the immediate case, the Minister called for stronger safeguards across the education system, describing the allegations as an impetus for policymakers and regulators to review how schools prevent, identify and respond to sexual misconduct.
The allegations involving Obuasi SHTS remain subject to investigation, and any determination of individual responsibility must follow due process. Meanwhile, the proposed trauma support and reporting hotline are intended to strengthen assistance for affected students and improve the handling of future complaints.
Education Minister Vows Stronger Student Protection After Obuasi SHTS Case
The Education Ministry and the Ghana Education Service (GES) intend to strengthen student protection following allegations of sexual abuse involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), with Education Minister Honourable Haruna Iddrisu pledging administrative and legal action to safeguard learners.
The Minister positioned the case as a critical test of the institutions responsible for keeping students safe, arguing that the allegations should prompt a more determined response to sexual misconduct in educational settings.
“Today and into the future, I urge this should remain the government’s most important priority, and it will be our important priority. I call on parents, guardians and students to support government for this to succeed.”
Honourable Haruna Iddrissu
He indicated that the Ministry and the GES would use the administrative and legal mechanisms available to them to address the matter and reinforce safeguards across the education system.
He disclosed that Gender Minister Dr Naa Momo Lartey and Ghana Education Service (GES) Director-General Professor Davis were in Obuasi as he spoke. The school has reopened fully to continuing and fresh students for normal academic work.
Mr Iddrisu also called for sustained public cooperation, noting that parents, guardians and students have an important role in ensuring that protection measures work effectively. Their participation, he suggested, would help authorities create an environment in which concerns can be raised and acted upon.
Furthermore, Honourable Iddrisu promised to audit school regulations and to monitor the conduct of headteachers and teachers, and even of students, if that requires naming focal persons. The Ministry will hold discussions with parents and students to find implementation gaps and close them. He will go to Parliament to strengthen policy and legal frameworks if the law needs it.
In his remarks, the Education Minister characterised the reported abuse as “an urgent challenge” for policymakers and education regulators. He proposed using the case as an impetus for more comprehensive measures to prevent abuse and improve institutional responses when allegations arise.
Honourable Iddrisu’s position is that student safety must remain a central obligation of the Ministry and the GES, not merely a response to a single high-profile case. He called on families and learners to support the effort, as education authorities seek to strengthen protections within schools.
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