First-year students stranded as Obuasi SHTS remains closed over misconduct probe

First-year students posted to Obuasi Senior High Technical School are yet to begin classes more than a month after their placement, as the school remains closed amid investigations into allegations of sexual misconduct involving students.

The prolonged closure follows violent protests by students over the alleged misconduct, which reportedly resulted in injuries and the destruction of school property.

The Ghana Education Service (GES) has interdicted the school’s headmaster, Mr Zachariah Abdulai, pending the outcome of a full-scale investigation into the allegations of sexual misconduct involving a female student.

GES Public Relations Officer Daniel Fenyi said the headmaster had been directed to proceed on interdiction with immediate effect and make himself available to assist with the investigation.

He has also been instructed to hand over the management of the school to the Regional Director of Education.

Mr Fenyi said a complaint had been lodged with the police, who are investigating the matter and assessing the situation to determine when the school can safely reopen.

He explained that the temporary closure was necessary following the disturbances on the school premises, adding that the authorities were working to restore a conducive learning environment.

Asked whether the first-year students would be disadvantaged by the delay, Mr Fenyi assured the public that measures would be taken to ensure they did not lose out academically.

The closure, however, has left the newly placed students without classroom instruction while their counterparts in other schools continue their academic work.