Obuasi SHTS scandal: Plan International Ghana demands independent probe, nationwide safeguarding reforms

Plan International Ghana has called for independent investigations and comprehensive child protection reforms following allegations of sexual abuse involving female students of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) and the school’s headmaster.

The organisation says the allegations raise serious concerns about students’ safety, the abuse of positions of trust and weaknesses in safeguarding systems within Ghanaian schools.

In a statement, Plan International Ghana stressed that educational institutions must provide safe environments where children can learn without fear of exploitation, intimidation or abuse.

“A school must be a place of safety, learning and opportunity – not fear, exploitation or abuse. Every child has the right to learn in a safe environment and to be treated with dignity,” the statement said.

While welcoming investigations into the allegations, the organisation insisted that the response must extend beyond the possible dismissal or punishment of an individual to address potential institutional failures.

“Dismissal alone cannot heal affected students, address institutional failures or guarantee that other children will be safe,” it emphasised.

Plan International Ghana called for thorough, impartial and child-sensitive investigations, including an examination of how previous complaints were handled, while ensuring that anyone found responsible is held accountable in accordance with the law and due process.

It also urged authorities to provide affected students with confidential, trauma-informed psychosocial care, healthcare, legal assistance and continued educational support, while protecting their identities and preventing victim-blaming, intimidation and retaliation.

The organisation further demanded investigations into whether school management or education officials ignored, mishandled or suppressed complaints, stressing that institutional safeguarding failures must attract appropriate consequences regardless of an individual’s position or influence.

Additionally, it called for confidential reporting channels for students and staff, stronger protections for whistle-blowers and mandatory safeguarding and professional-boundaries training for teachers and school leaders.

Plan International Ghana also proposed a nationwide review of how sexual abuse complaints are reported, investigated and resolved in schools, alongside a time-bound action plan to address gaps in existing policies and laws.

“This must not become another scandal that fades from public attention without justice or meaningful reform,” the organisation warned.

It urged the media and the public to respect the privacy and dignity of affected students by avoiding the circulation of identifying information or sensationalised accounts of their experiences.

“No child should suffer in silence to protect an institution’s reputation. No teacher should face retaliation for speaking up for a child. And no complaint concerning the safety of a child should be ignored,” the statement added.

Plan International Ghana reaffirmed its commitment to collaborating with the government, Ministry of Education, Ghana Education Service and other relevant institutions to strengthen safeguarding systems and ensure safer, more inclusive learning environments across the country.