By Agnes Ansah
Accra, Oct. 22, GNA – Madam Mercy Catherine Adjabeng, a communication, gender and safeguarding expert, has called for an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse involving 19 students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS).
She urged the relevant authorities to refer the matter to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service for investigation and appropriate action.
Madam Adjabeng made the call in an interview monitored by the Ghana News Agency (GNA), following the interdiction of the school’s headmaster by the Ghana Education Service (GES) over the allegations.
She said the allegations required thorough investigation and urged the authorities to establish the facts, including whether concerns previously raised by students had been reported to and addressed by the appropriate officials.
“For us to have about 19 students now, it all didn’t happen in a day. What was going on? Some of the students say that they reported. What happened when they reported?” she asked.
Madam Adjabeng called for a review of school safeguarding guidelines, including a requirement for suspected abuse to be reported to DOVVSU within 24 hours, and stronger protection for students who report concerns.
She also proposed revising the teachers’ code of conduct, involving Parent-Teacher Associations in school safety monitoring and enforcing safeguarding policies across all schools.
Madam Adjabeng advocated consideration of a public sex-offender register and measures to restrict persons convicted of sexual offences against children from working in classrooms.
GNA
Edited by Kenneth Sackey
Reporter: Agnes Ansah
Email: [email protected]