The Zonta Clubs of Ghana have called on the Ministry of Education to take urgent action against sexual abuse in schools, demanding swift investigations, accountability and protection for survivors.
In a statement, the clubs described the sexual abuse of schoolgirls by teachers and headteachers as a grave betrayal of trust and the duty of care owed to children.
“Schools must be places of safety, learning, and opportunity, not environments where girls are exploited, violated, and robbed of their childhood by the very people charged with protecting them,” the statement said.
The clubs urged the ministry to ensure that allegations are investigated promptly and independently, with due process and appropriate sanctions.
They called for the dismissal and prosecution of teachers and headteachers found to have sexually abused children, stressing that professional connections and institutional positions must not shield perpetrators from accountability.
School authorities who conceal abuse or retaliate against survivors must also be held accountable, the statement added.
“A teacher’s position is not a licence to exploit a child, and a headmaster’s authority is not a shield against justice,” the clubs stated.
Their demands include zero tolerance for child sexual abuse in educational institutions, immediate protection and psychosocial support for survivors, and action against officials who fail to respond to credible reports.
The clubs also called for measures to protect survivors from victim-blaming, intimidation and retaliation.
“Every survivor deserves justice, dignity, and support — not silence or retaliation,” the statement said.
They urged the Ministry of Education to move beyond condemnation and demonstrate through concrete action that children’s safety is a priority.
The statement was issued on behalf of the Zonta Clubs of Ghana by Adodo Abla Adih-Nuviadenu, President of the Zonta Club of Accra Metropolitan.
It listed the participating clubs as Accra, Accra II, Tema, Accra Metropolitan and Accra Jubilee.