GES reporting structure has failed in handling sexual abuses - Dep. Education Minister

Deputy Minister of Education Dr Clement Abas Apaak has admitted that the Ghana Education Service (GES) has a systemic failure in its reporting structure for cases of sexual abuse in schools, following allegations of sexual misconduct involving students at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS).

Dr Apaak said the failure became evident after an investigative documentary exposed allegations of sexual harassment, assault and rape involving female students at the school, raising questions about why earlier complaints were not escalated to the national level.

Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the Deputy Minister said the Education Ministry had begun examining how the complaints were handled and identifying officials who may have known about the allegations but failed to report them.

According to the documentary, students had repeatedly raised concerns about alleged misconduct with teachers and school authorities over an extended period. However, the complaints reportedly failed to reach the Ministry of Education.

“We have come to the conclusion that there is a failure in the reporting structure of GES, as far as these sort of abuses are concerned,” Dr Apaak said.

As part of efforts to establish how the matter was handled, the GES has asked the Obuasi East Municipal Director of Education and the Ashanti Regional Director of Education to step aside.

Dr Apaak said the decision followed questions about why the allegations were not escalated to the Education Ministry despite reports that complaints had been made.

“We thought it wise to move even further to start asking questions and some of the questions are the reason why again, the GES, has had to ask both the Obuasi East Municipal Director of Education and the Ashanti Regional Director of Education to step aside,” he said.

He added that the Ministry was seeking answers to the circumstances surrounding the handling of the complaints, including who knew about them and when they became aware of the alleged incidents.

“Who knew what when? Why was this never escalated to the national level and or brought to the attention of the Hon. Minister and myself?” he asked.

The administrative measures are intended to help establish whether failures in reporting and supervision contributed to the delay in addressing the allegations.

The scandal centres on Obuasi SHTS headmaster Zakaria Abdulai, who was interdicted on October 14, 2026, on the orders of Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu.

The allegations were brought to public attention through investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni’s documentary, Inside the Dreaded Headmaster’s Bungalow.

The investigation reported allegations of sexual harassment, assault and rape involving female students. The number of students reportedly linked to the allegations has risen from 16 to 19.

The Education Ministry has referred the criminal aspects of the case to the Police Criminal Investigations Department (CID) for investigation.

Interior Minister Mohammed Mubarak Muntaka disclosed on Tuesday, October 20, that Abdulai had been arrested and that the investigation had been transferred to the Police Headquarters in Accra.

He said investigators were following due process, including procedures relating to DNA testing, as part of the investigation.

The allegations remain subject to police investigation and the relevant legal processes.

Details in the documentary have raised concerns about how complaints allegedly made by students and school officials were handled before the matter became public.

According to the investigation, the school’s Girl Child Coordinator petitioned management in February 2026, while five students reportedly lodged complaints with the Obuasi West Municipal Education Directorate in March.

Further alleged incidents were reported in June and July.

National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT) President Jacob Anaba has also claimed that 38 teachers who spoke out against the headmaster were asked to leave the school. He further alleged that complaints dating back to 2025 had been ignored.

The claims have intensified calls for accountability within the education system and for stronger mechanisms to protect students who report abuse.

The controversy has also affected Abdulai’s political position within the National Democratic Congress (NDC), where he serves as the party’s Juaben Constituency Secretary.

The party had earlier cleared him to contest the Juaben constituency chairmanship, arguing that his constitutional rights should be respected while investigations continued.

However, following the growing public attention surrounding the allegations, the NDC reversed its position and demanded his resignation.

Abdulai has since resigned from his party position and withdrawn from the chairmanship race.

Child Rights International has described the Obuasi SHTS case as a possible indication of wider problems involving cover-ups and delayed responses to allegations of abuse within the GES.

The organisation has called for a comprehensive overhaul of safeguarding policies in schools to ensure that complaints involving sexual abuse are properly documented, investigated and escalated to the appropriate authorities.

Dr Apaak’s admission of a reporting failure has added to calls for reforms in how schools handle allegations of abuse, particularly where complaints involve senior staff or school management.

The case has placed renewed focus on the responsibility of education authorities to provide safe learning environments, protect students who report misconduct and ensure that allegations of abuse receive timely and appropriate attention.