The Parliamentary Committee on Human Rights has condemned allegations of sexual abuse at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), calling for the speedy prosecution of the case and the maximum sentence if the accused is found guilty.
In a statement signed by the Kumawu Member of Parliament and Chairman of the Committee on Human Rights, Ernest Yaw Anim on Thursday, October 15, the Committee said the alleged conduct violated Sections 2 and 13 of the Children’s Act, 1998, as well as Article 34 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
The Committee’s reaction follows a JoyNews investigation that exposed allegations of sexual abuse at the school.
It commended the Minister of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) for the swift interdiction of the school’s headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, and the suspension of another housemaster, as well as the commencement of a police investigation.
The Committee urged school authorities, management, teachers and non-teaching staff in second-cycle and other educational institutions to uphold the highest ethical, moral and professional standards in their dealings with students.
It stressed the need to protect children’s rights and ensure that they can pursue their education in safe environments.
The Committee also appealed to the justice system to expedite the prosecution of the case, adding that a maximum sentence, if guilt is established, would serve as a deterrent to potential offenders and help prevent similar incidents.
It said it would use its oversight mandate to monitor the investigation and prosecution, while calling for policy reviews to strengthen safeguards for children in educational institutions.
Read the statement below:
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