Haruna Iddrisu bans students from performing domestic work for teachers

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has issued a formal directive to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to strictly prohibit teachers and headmasters from using students for domestic chores. The move is designed to address and eliminate the exploitation of the teacher-student power dynamic, which the minister identified as a significant risk factor for student safety. This ban applies to all public educational institutions and marks a decisive step toward reforming traditional school customs that have historically allowed such practices.

The directive follows serious allegations of sexual misconduct involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, Zakaria Abdulai. These issues were brought to national attention through an investigation published by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni. In response to the reports, Mr. Abdulai has been interdicted while the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service conducts a full investigation into the matter. The minister noted that the practice of tasks like cleaning, cooking, or running personal errands for staff often creates opportunities for the abuse of authority.

Minister Iddrisu emphasized that the government is committed to an impartial investigative process, asserting that no individual will be shielded from accountability regardless of their political affiliations. He stressed that the primary responsibility of school authorities is the academic and moral development of their students, not the utilization of student labor for personal convenience. The GES has been tasked with ensuring that all heads of institutions comply immediately with the new instruction.

Beyond this immediate ban, the Ministry of Education is looking to strengthen institutional frameworks to protect learners nationwide. This includes the potential introduction of new legislative measures to provide a stronger legal basis for student rights and the punishment of staff who violate these boundaries. By formalizing this prohibition, the ministry aims to foster a school environment that is focused entirely on learning and free from the risks associated with domestic servitude.