The Ghana Education Service (GES) says the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) was interdicted to prevent possible interference with investigations into allegations of sexual abuse involving students.
GES Public Relations Officer Daniel Fenyi, speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, said the decision was necessary to protect the integrity of the investigation and prevent the headmaster from potentially intimidating students or withholding information relevant to the case.
“There is nothing like consensual when it comes to a teacher-student relationship involving an underage child. The child is not in a position to give informed consent,” he said.
Mr Fenyi explained that rumours about the alleged misconduct had been circulating for about three to four months, but the Service could not act solely on unverified claims.
He said the situation escalated following protests that led to the temporary closure of the school, while a documentary released by investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni brought additional attention to the allegations.
According to him, the headmaster had already appeared before the GES before the documentary was released, and the footage subsequently corroborated the sequence of events and allegations being examined.
Mr Fenyi said the Service therefore considered it necessary to interdict the headmaster while investigations continued.
“We had to interdict him while the investigation is ongoing to protect the process. We need to ensure that he does not interfere by threatening students, hiding documents or withholding information that could assist the investigation,” he explained.
He stressed that the interdiction was intended to allow investigators to work without interference as they established the facts surrounding the allegations.
The case has generated concern among parents and students, with reports of protests and the temporary closure of Obuasi SHTS disrupting academic activities.
The father of one of the students allegedly affected, John Kwaku Bobena, has also expressed concern about the impact of the school’s closure on his daughter, who was preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).
He has appealed to the GES to find alternative placement for affected students, warning that his daughter could be forced to abandon her education and help him on his cocoa farm if she cannot continue school elsewhere.
Also read:
