The Ghana Education Service (GES) has taken action in response to allegations of sexual abuse involving 15 female students at Benkum Senior High School, requesting the headteacher, Emmanuel Nyarko, to step aside to facilitate a thorough investigation into the matter.
The revelation of the alleged sexual abuse by the headteacher came to light when he attempted to transfer some teachers who were also implicated in similar acts, but the resistance from the teachers led to the exposure of the headteacher's activities.
Consequently, the GES has instructed Mr Nyarko to temporarily vacate his position, allowing for the commencement of investigations.
In an interview on JoyFM's Newsnight, Mr Yaw Opoku Mensah, Deputy Spokesperson for the Ministry of Education, emphasized the GES's commitment to preventing such incidents from persisting in schools.
He stated, “We are closely monitoring the situation, and it falls within the jurisdiction of the Ghana Education Service's management.”
Mr Opoku Mensah further explained that the GES is determined to ensure strict adherence to its rules and regulations, which influenced the decision to ask the headteacher to step aside during the investigation.
While the exact timeline of the alleged sexual harassment is yet to be established, the Education Service is resolute in eradicating such misconduct from educational institutions.
Mr Opoku Mensah noted that a committee at the GES headquarters will oversee the investigation, and the report with its recommendations will be presented to the Service's management.
Additionally, he emphasized that although the GES does not condone such behaviour, it remains committed to creating a conducive environment for teaching and learning.
