The Ghana National Council of Private Schools (GNACOPS) has urgently called for a Commission of Inquiry to probe the rising tide of sexual misconduct in Senior High Schools (SHSs), labeling it a “national crisis” that endangers students’ safety and dignity.
In a strongly worded press release dated October 3, 2025, GNACOPS condemned the incidents as symptoms of “systemic failure” and “institutional neglect,” urging President John Dramani Mahama, Parliament, and the Council of State to act under Article 278 of the 1992 Constitution for an independent investigation and reforms.
The demand follows two shocking cases within a week: On September 29, the Ghana Education Service (GES) dismissed KNUST SHS Assistant Headmaster Charles A. Aidoo after a viral video allegedly showed him in a compromising position with a female student. Days later, on October 2, Okadjakrom SHS teacher Mfo Richard Tibetor was interdicted over similar allegations involving a student. “These are not isolated… They are symptoms of a deeper culture of abuse, fear, and neglect,” GNACOPS stated, noting even female educators’ alleged complicity in silencing victims.
GNACOPS proposed a four-point mandate for the commission:
Investigate the prevalence and patterns of sexual misconduct nationwide.
Expose complicit networks among school authorities and officials.
Recommend learner protection reforms, accountability measures, and legal updates.
Foster collaboration between educators, law enforcement, and civil society.
National Executive Director Obenfo Nana Kwasi Gyetuah warned that the exploitation of students by authority figures “strikes at our national morality” and erodes trust in education. The group rallied teacher unions, parents, and religious bodies to join the push, insisting, “Silence is no longer an option… Ghana’s children deserve safe, abuse-free environments.”
As GES investigations continue, public pressure mounts for structural changes beyond mere dismissals, amid broader concerns over child protection in schools.
