GES stops salary of Bole SHS teacher accused of sexual misconduct

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has suspended the salary of a teacher at Bole Senior High School (SHS) who is accused of engaging in inappropriate sexual conduct with a student in the school's science laboratory after he allegedly absconded from duty.

The development follows the circulation of a video on social media that reportedly captured the alleged incident, sparking widespread public outrage and renewed concerns over student safety in Ghana's schools.

According to GES, the teacher has failed to report to work since the incident came to light, prompting the Service to halt his salary while collaborating with the Ghana Police Service to secure his arrest and facilitate further investigations.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday, July 1, the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, disclosed that the Service had already interdicted the teacher before taking the additional step of suspending his salary because of his disappearance.

He explained that the teacher's failure to report for duty left the Service with no option but to initiate further administrative sanctions while supporting criminal investigations.

According to Professor Davis, GES has officially reported the matter to the Ghana Police Service and is working closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure the suspect is apprehended.

He stressed that the accused teacher would face both criminal prosecution and internal disciplinary proceedings under the Service's code of conduct once arrested.

The Director-General condemned the alleged conduct, describing it as completely unacceptable and inconsistent with the values and ethical standards expected of teachers.

He assured the public that the Ghana Education Service would apply the strongest disciplinary measures available under its regulations to send a clear message that misconduct involving students will not be tolerated.

"We want to pursue legal action against the staff involved and also take him through our established processes under the code of conduct so that, at the end of the day, we apply the rules as stipulated in our code of conduct," Professor Davis stated.

"We will apply the toughest sanctions to serve as a deterrent because we want our school environment to be safe. Teachers who expose children the way we saw in the video have no place in GES."

The incident has reignited national discussions about child protection and safeguarding measures within Ghana's educational institutions.

Education stakeholders have repeatedly called for stricter enforcement of professional standards, stronger safeguarding policies, and swift disciplinary action against educators found guilty of misconduct.

GES reiterated its commitment to ensuring that schools remain safe environments where students can learn without fear of abuse or exploitation.

The Service also assured parents and the general public that it would continue to work with security agencies to ensure justice is served while protecting the welfare and dignity of learners across the country.

Police investigations into the matter are ongoing, with authorities expected to arrest the teacher once he is located.