Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu has vowed that the alleged sexual abuse scandal involving 19 students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) will not be swept under the carpet, assuring the public that those responsible will face the law.
He said the government was committed to pursuing accountability and implementing measures to protect students, stressing that the case presented an opportunity to address longstanding concerns about abuse within educational institutions.
During a media briefing, Mr. Iddrisu said the allegations against the school’s now-suspended headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, had generated widespread public concern following an investigative documentary by journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni.
“The last few days thanks to Manasseh Azure Awuni’s, exposé. We have witness the scandalization of the nation’s conscience and captivation of its media headlines by the alleged sexual abuse of nineteen schoolgirls by the now suspended Headmaster of the Obuasi Senior High Technical School won’t or can’t just be swept under the carpet,” he stated.
The minister said the government would not allow the matter to fade from public attention without meaningful action, despite the intense media coverage it has attracted.
“Amidst the calls from various sections of society for a full-scale investigation of similar malpractices in other educational institutions in the country, this scandal won’t suffer the same fate as other burning issues which are discussed with gusto in the media over a period then go out with a whimper,” he added.
Mr. Iddrisu said the government intended to deploy administrative and legal measures to safeguard students and ensure accountability.
He also confirmed that the Ghana Police Service’s Criminal Investigation Department and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) were leading investigations into the allegations.
“I’m assured by my colleague Minister of Interior that the Ghana Police Service’s Criminal Investigation Department and the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) are leading independent, transparent criminal investigations into the allegations of rape and sexual assault against former headmaster Mr. Zakaria Abdulai,” he said.
The minister further assured the public that political affiliations would not shield anyone from prosecution, noting calls from civil society organisations for the investigation to proceed without interference.
“We give assurance of prosecution without political or Governmental interference,” he stated.
The Tamale South MP said the interdiction and suspension of the former headmaster would remain in place to protect the integrity of the investigations and prevent any abuse of authority.
The scandal follows allegations that the former headmaster sexually abused 19 schoolgirls, prompting widespread public concern and renewed calls for stronger safeguards against sexual misconduct in schools.
Mr. Iddrisu said the government was determined to combine legal accountability with institutional reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future.
He called on parents, guardians and students to support efforts to protect learners and ensure that educational institutions remain safe environments.
