Stephen Desu alleges widespread sexual misconduct in Ghanaian schools

Stephen Desu, a teacher at Ekumpoano Catholic Basic School, has raised an alarm over what he describes as pervasive sexual misconduct within the Ghanaian education system. Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express following the recent scandal at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Desu alleged that nearly every school in the country has at least one or two teachers involved in inappropriate sexual relationships with students. He emphasized that the problem is not isolated to senior high schools but extends to primary and junior high schools as well.

Desu highlighted a disturbing trend of transactional sex, where female students, often driven by financial hardship and inadequate food provisions, seek out male teachers for monetary assistance. He noted that while some students may intentionally seek these relationships for financial gain, the inherent power imbalance makes such dynamics inherently exploitative and coercive. According to Desu, the failure of some parents to adequately provide for their children's welfare at school creates a vulnerability that certain educators are quick to exploit.

The allegations also touched on the competitive and retaliatory behavior of some male teachers. Desu claimed that at the senior high school level, some educators actively compete with male students for the attention of female students. In some instances, teachers reportedly use their authority to punish male students who are seen as rivals or who become close to certain girls. This behavior, he argued, reflects a systemic lack of professionalism and a failure of current oversight mechanisms to protect the student body from exploitation.

Criticizing the Ghana Education Service (GES) for its perceived lack of forceful action, Desu called for more decisive measures against offenders and better institutional protections for vulnerable students. He urged former students to come forward and share their experiences to expose the true scale of the issue and advocated for increased parental vigilance regarding their children's school lives. The discussion comes as investigations continue into the arrest and suspension of Zakaria Abdulai, the headmaster of Obuasi SHTS, following allegations of sexual abuse involving more than 14 female students.