The Gender Centre for Empowering Development (GenCED) has called for a thorough investigation, institutional accountability and stronger safeguards for students amid sexual abuse allegations involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai.
In a public statement issued on Tuesday, October 20, 2026, the organisation said the allegations raised serious concerns about student safety, the abuse of authority and the effectiveness of systems designed to protect children in educational institutions.
“Schools must be places where children and young people learn, develop their potential and prepare for their futures in safety and dignity,” the statement said.
GenCED added that allegations involving a person entrusted with students’ care required a decisive and impartial response centred on their rights and wellbeing.
GenCED acknowledged steps taken by the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES), including the interdiction of the headmaster and the directive for the Ashanti Regional and Obuasi Municipal Directors of Education to step aside.
However, it stressed that administrative action alone was insufficient without a credible investigation, appropriate accountability and effective protection for students.
The organisation cautioned against treating the directive for the education officials to step aside as proof of wrongdoing, just as the allegations against the headmaster must not be regarded as established criminal guilt before the legal process is concluded.
It said the central issue was whether the allegations would be thoroughly investigated, possible institutional failures exposed and students at risk adequately protected.
GenCED expressed concern about media reports that complaints may have been brought to the attention of education authorities before a JoyNews investigative documentary brought the allegations into the national spotlight.
It called on the relevant authorities to establish what complaints were received, when they were made, who handled them and what action was taken.
The organisation also urged investigators to determine whether opportunities to prevent further harm had been missed.
It further distinguished the earlier GES inquiry into the August 2026 school disturbances from the separate investigation into the sexual abuse allegations, warning against presenting findings from the earlier inquiry as a conclusive determination of the allegations now under investigation.
GenCED said sexual abuse allegations should not be treated solely as internal disciplinary matters within a school or education directorate.
It called on the Ghana Police Service and prosecutorial authorities to ensure that the criminal investigation proceeds diligently and without interference.
Where sufficient evidence establishes grounds for prosecution, the organisation said, the state should pursue the case through the appropriate legal process.
“The professional position, influence or standing of any individual must not place that person beyond the reach of the law,” it stated.
The organisation also called for a transparent examination of whether officials and institutions responsible for student protection fulfilled their obligations.
It said any evidence of negligence, professional misconduct, deliberate concealment or obstruction should lead to appropriate action under the law and relevant disciplinary procedures.
GenCED said the immediate priority must be protecting the safety, dignity and wellbeing of the students concerned.
It urged authorities to protect their identities and personal information and prevent intimidation, victimisation, retaliation or public exposure that could cause further harm.
The organisation also called on the GES and other relevant authorities to establish interim safeguarding measures and ensure that reporting channels are confidential, accessible and sufficiently independent.
“No student should have to choose between personal safety and access to education,” it stated.
Beyond the immediate investigation, GenCED urged authorities to review safeguarding procedures across educational institutions, strengthen oversight and protect students and staff who report abuse.
It said the case should prompt a broader examination of whether Ghana’s education-sector systems respond effectively to complaints before they escalate into national controversies.
“Public attention must not be the condition that determines whether a child’s complaint receives a response. Safeguarding systems must work before allegations become national headlines, not only after public pressure intensifies,” the statement said.
“Our children deserve schools where they can learn without fear. Their safety must never be sacrificed to protect the reputation, position or influence of any individual or institution.”
The allegations involving Obuasi SHTS have attracted national attention, with the number of students reportedly alleging abuse rising to 16.
The GES has directed the Ashanti Regional Director of Education, Dr William Amankrah Appiah, and the Obuasi Municipal Director of Education, Kwamena Owusu-Nketiah, to step aside pending investigations into the matter.
The headmaster remains interdicted, while the Education Ministry has directed the Criminal Investigations Department of the Ghana Police Service to investigate the allegations.
The allegations have not been established and remain subject to investigation.