SOS Children’s Villages Ghana has called on education authorities to provide individual recovery and education plans for girls affected by alleged sexual abuse at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) and explain why earlier complaints reportedly went unaddressed for months.
The organisation has also called for action against officials found to have failed to act on the complaints and stronger child protection measures to prevent similar cases in schools.
In a statement issued on Monday, October 19, 2026, SOS CV Ghana urged the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to work with the affected students and their families to provide medical care, psychosocial support and continued education
The call follows allegations involving the school’s headmaster, Zakaria Abdulai, who has been interdicted pending investigations.
The GES has also directed the Ashanti Regional Director of Education and the Obuasi East Municipal Director of Education to step aside while investigations continue.
The organisation expressed concern over reports that complaints had reached school and education authorities months before action was taken, with the alleged abuse reportedly continuing for more than a year.
It said the authorities should explain why the complaints did not prompt earlier intervention and hold accountable any officials found to have neglected their duties.
The statement cited reports of at least 14 alleged victims, while the investigating journalist indicated that the number could have risen to 16. Media reports on October 20, 2026, referred to 19 girls allegedly affected.
The Ministry of Education has referred the criminal aspects of the allegations to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service.
The GES said the decision to ask the two education directors to step aside was intended to prevent interference, or the perception of interference, in the investigations.
The organisation has called for stronger child protection measures across pre-tertiary schools, including national safeguarding standards, trained safeguarding officers in every school and confidential reporting channels through which students can report abuse without going through the person accused.
It has also urged the GES and the National Teaching Council to strengthen staff vetting and record-keeping systems and review concerns reportedly raised about Mr Abdulai during his previous postings.
It further called for clear timelines for responding to complaints and sanctions against officials found to have failed to act.
On support for the affected girls, the organisation urged the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and the Department of Social Welfare to arrange sustained medical and psychosocial care rather than rely on one-off counselling sessions.
It proposed assigning a social worker to each affected student and her family to coordinate access to medical, psychological and legal support.
The organisation also urged the police to adopt child-friendly investigative procedures, including the use of trained officers and safe interview settings, to minimise repeated interviews and protect the girls’ dignity. It called for evidence retained by students to be collected and preserved promptly.
It urged the public, particularly social media users, not to circulate the girls’ names, photographs or unverified information that could expose them to stigma, ridicule or reprisals.
Citing the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the organisation said children had the right to be heard on matters affecting them and to receive support for their physical and psychological recovery.
The organisation urged anyone aware of a child at risk to report the matter to the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DOVVSU) of the Ghana Police Service or the Department of Social Welfare.
