The Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, has announced a series of measures aimed at strengthening child protection in schools following reports of alleged sexual abuse at the Obuasi Senior High Technical School and growing concerns about abuse in educational institutions across the country.
The Minister disclosed this during a meeting with investigative journalist Manasseh Azure Awuni, whom she contacted after the story emerged to gain a deeper understanding of the issues and discuss possible interventions by the Ministry.
According to the Ministry, the engagement provided an opportunity for the journalist to share additional information on the case to support ongoing efforts to protect affected students and prevent similar incidents.
Dr Lartey revealed that prior to the meeting, she had engaged the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) as part of efforts to coordinate an institutional response to the allegations.
She stressed that addressing abuse in schools requires collaboration among agencies with complementary mandates to ensure the safety, wellbeing and protection of students while promoting justice for victims.
As part of the interventions being considered, the Minister said the Ministry would work closely with the GES to strengthen existing policies, codes of conduct and child protection frameworks within educational institutions.
She noted that the proposed measures would seek to address systemic gaps and help prevent sexual abuse, bullying and other forms of violence and misconduct on school campuses.
Dr Lartey further disclosed that a technical representative from the Ministry would collaborate with the GES as part of a broader long-term strategy to enhance child safeguarding mechanisms and ensure that institutional practices align with national child protection laws and standards.
The Minister also assured the public that the Ministry would continue to work with relevant institutions to provide support for affected students and their families, including access to medical screening and psychosocial care.
To improve early reporting and response to abuse, she said the Ministry would pursue the display of its helpline numbers, together with those of other relevant agencies, on school campuses nationwide.
The initiative, she explained, is intended to make it easier for students to report abuse, threats to their safety and other protection concerns and obtain timely assistance.
Mr Azure Awuni commended the Minister for her proactive approach and willingness to engage stakeholders on the matter, expressing appreciation for the opportunity to share information that could help shape effective interventions.
Dr Lartey reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to working with the Ministry of Education, GES, the Ministry of the Interior, law enforcement agencies and other stakeholders to strengthen the implementation of child protection laws, improve reporting mechanisms and promote safer learning environments for children.
The Ministry has encouraged the public to report cases of child abuse, domestic violence and other social protection concerns through its Helpline of Hope call centre on 0800-111-222, 0800-800-800 and 0800-900-900.