SOS Children’s Villages Ghana demands recovery plans for Obuasi SHTS victims

SOS Children’s Villages Ghana and several civil society organizations are demanding comprehensive recovery plans for 19 female students allegedly abused at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS). The headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, has been suspended and arrested following an investigation highlighted by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni. The advocacy groups are calling for the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ministry of Education to provide immediate medical, legal, and psychosocial support to the victims to ensure their educational continuity and personal well-being.

The Medical Women Association of Ghana (MWAG) has committed to providing direct medical assistance to the affected students, emphasizing a zero-tolerance policy for sexual exploitation. SOS Children’s Villages Ghana further urged authorities to implement child-friendly investigative procedures that protect the dignity and identity of the minors. They argued that the recovery process must include tailored education plans to mitigate the trauma and disruption caused by the alleged misconduct, especially given reports that some past complaints had been mishandled or ignored.

Beyond immediate relief, organizations are pushing for structural reforms to prevent future occurrences. Child Rights International (CRI) has proposed elevating the GES counseling unit into an independent authority to manage child welfare and complaints without institutional bias. Similarly, the Aya Institute for Women, Politics and Media has demanded a national audit of existing abuse prevention measures. They highlighted that protecting students is a core governance responsibility and urged the Ministry of Education to publicize its response protocols within 30 days.

Public figures and parents have joined the call for accountability, noting that systemic failures often leave students vulnerable. Former Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dakoa Newman, described the situation as a grave betrayal of trust, insisting that the safety of students must outweigh concerns for a school's reputation. This sentiment was echoed by concerned parents who noted a lack of formal safeguarding training for teachers. The Ministry of Education has since referred the criminal allegations to the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further action.