The Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, has stated that Directors of Education who fail to promptly report sexual abuse allegations against teachers during investigations will be held accountable.
He said every allegation must be reported through the appropriate channels, while accused teachers must be removed from contact with learners pending investigations.
“Every Director who fails in this duty will be held to account,” the Deputy Minister said in a speech delivered on behalf of the Minister for Education at the 33rd Conference of Directors of Education in Bolgatanga.
Addressing education directors from across the country, he stressed that reports of sexual abuse involving teachers must not be treated as matters to be quietly managed to protect the reputation of schools or individuals.
“When a child or a parent reports sexual abuse by a teacher or a headteacher, that report is not an inconvenience to be managed quietly,” he said.
He added that protecting the reputation of an institution must never take precedence over the safety and welfare of learners.
The Deputy Minister cautioned directors against shielding accused teachers because of personal relationships, seniority or their standing within their districts.
“Do not shield any teacher from the consequences of credible allegations in the mistaken belief that you are protecting the system,” he said, warning that such actions could expose other children to harm.
He further emphasised that directors who conceal abuse would be failing in their responsibility to protect learners and could themselves be held accountable for their actions.
“You are not. You are endangering the next child,” he said, referring to the consequences of concealing abuse.
The warning comes amid allegations of sexual abuse involving a headteacher at Obuasi Senior High Technical School. The Deputy Minister declined to discuss the specifics of the case, stating that it was, or ought to be, under investigation.
He insisted that safeguarding learners must remain a fundamental responsibility of every education directorate and that reports of abuse must be handled promptly rather than delayed or suppressed.
The Deputy Minister also urged directors to strengthen counselling structures, safeguarding systems and codes of conduct in their respective districts, following discussions at the National Conference on Stemming the Growing Indiscipline in Schools held in Sunyani in July.
He noted that addressing indiscipline in schools required a collective national response, with district leaders playing a critical role in ensuring that policies were implemented effectively.
Beyond child protection, he challenged education directors to improve instructional supervision and ensure that classroom teaching equips learners with critical thinking, problem-solving, communication and collaboration skills.
He acknowledged logistical challenges confronting some directorates, including inadequate office accommodation and unreliable transport, which make school monitoring and supervision difficult, particularly in deprived and hard-to-reach communities.
He said the government was committed to addressing these challenges, adding that the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFund) had begun constructing office complexes for directorates across the country.
The three-day conference, held under the theme “From Policy to Classroom: District Leadership for Quality Learning Outcomes and 21st Century Skills for National Development,” was officially opened by the Deputy Minister, who urged participants to leave with concrete commitments to improve education delivery and protect learners.
