The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has assured students at Obuasi Senior High Technical School that measures are being put in place to improve security, restore confidence and expand access to counselling.
Dr Naa Momo Lartey gave the assurance during a visit to the school on October 26, as academic activities gradually resumed following its temporary closure in August.
She met school management, students and families of students allegedly sexually assaulted by the school’s interdicted headmaster. The school was shut after students vandalised school property during protests connected to the allegations.
The minister said the authorities were working to create an environment in which students could return to their studies without fear or panic.
“Steps are being taken to build trust between students and teachers concerning safety and security,” Dr Naa Momo Lartey said.
She added that the Ministry for Gender, Children and Social Protection was supporting existing structures within the Ghana Education Service (GES) to deal with safeguarding concerns and reduce the risk of similar incidents happening again.
“This is to ensure that past incidents do not reoccur. The system is designed to proactively monitor and address issues before they escalate out of hand,” she said.
Dr Naa Momo Lartey emphasised the need for concerns to be identified and dealt with at an early stage, before they became more serious. She said the response should not be limited to managing the immediate crisis, but should also establish lasting protections for students.
The discussions at the school included longer-term commitments and planned interventions aimed at supporting students’ welfare. They also considered how counselling and other support services could be made readily available to students who needed them.
The minister was accompanied by the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, Dr Davies. The visit was intended to assess conditions at the school as students returned to campus and to establish whether the environment was safe and suitable for learning.
Students appeared calm and reassured after the minister’s engagement, although continued work will be needed to maintain that atmosphere and address concerns about their welfare.
