The Ghana Education Service (GES) has recommended the reposting of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS) Headmaster, Abdulai Zakaria, and other staff implicated in the violent disturbances that engulfed the institution on August 5, 2026, as separate allegations of sexual misconduct involving female students trigger intensified scrutiny.

The recommendation, submitted by a regional investigative committee, is currently undergoing assessment at the GES headquarters, with the Service yet to announce a definitive decision on the proposed administrative reshuffle.

The development follows a violent campus uprising during which some students allegedly assaulted the headmaster, ransacked his bungalow and vandalised personal property, including his Toyota RAV4 vehicle.

Compounding the controversy, Zakaria has been suspended by the GES over fresh allegations of sexual abuse involving some female students, pending comprehensive investigations in accordance with a directive from the Ministry of Education.

The allegations have gained considerable public attention following a documentary in which some alleged victims recounted their experiences, prompting renewed calls for accountability and stronger safeguards within the education sector.

GES committee submits recommendations for disciplinary action

The Deputy Director-General of the GES in charge of Quality and Access, Dr Issahaque Munawaru, disclosed the committee’s recommendations during an interview with Accra-based Joy FM on Thursday, October 15, 2026.

According to him, the committee’s report reached the GES headquarters the previous week, after which the Director-General assigned officials to scrutinise its findings and recommendations.

He indicated that the report contained approximately 27 or 28 recommendations, encompassing disciplinary referrals, administrative interventions and measures to strengthen security and institutional oversight.

Under Recommendation 23, the committee proposed that the headmaster and other staff be “reposted to other institutions or duty stations in the interest of the service”.

The proposal was informed by the circumstances surrounding the disturbances and apprehensions over security at the institution.

Dr Munawaru explained that GES officials visited the school after the incident and held discussions with the Municipal Chief Executive and the police command, who indicated that investigations into the matter were ongoing.

The Service subsequently referred the professional and administrative dimensions of the incident to a committee, while the police pursued the criminal investigation.

The committee further recommended that teachers, non-teaching personnel and students whose conduct raised reasonable suspicion or concern be referred to the appropriate disciplinary authorities.

It also advocated the dissolution of all informal student groupings and associations as part of broader interventions to forestall a recurrence of the unrest.

Inside the August 5 campus riot

The disturbances erupted in the early hours of Wednesday, August 5, 2026, following allegations by some students that the headmaster was engaging in ritual activities on the school premises.

Information gathered after the incident indicated that a student allegedly raised an alarm after claiming to have spotted the headmaster’s vehicle near the school’s refuse dump.

The students subsequently alleged that a freshly buried baby had been discovered at the location, prompting a confrontation with Zakaria.

The situation allegedly degenerated into a violent assault, leaving the headmaster with multiple injuries. He was subsequently admitted to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi for medical attention.

In a further escalation of the disturbances, some students allegedly stormed his bungalow and vandalised personal belongings, including his Toyota RAV4 bearing registration number AC 127-23, alongside other household property.

Police intervention became necessary to restore order and avert further violence.

Six students suspected of playing various roles in the rampage and assault were arrested by the police.

The incident subsequently triggered an administrative inquiry by the GES to establish the professional misconduct, if any, associated with the disturbances and determine appropriate disciplinary responses.

Sexual misconduct allegations place headmaster under fresh scrutiny

Separate allegations of sexual abuse involving female students have introduced another grave dimension to the unfolding controversy at Obuasi SHTS.

Zakaria’s suspension follows a directive from the Ministry of Education and is intended to facilitate investigations into the allegations.

The claims have featured in a documentary containing accounts from some alleged victims, although the allegations remain subject to investigation and have not, on the information provided, been established as proven misconduct.

Addressing the matter, Dr Munawaru disclosed that the portions of the committee’s report he had examined contained no explicit findings establishing culpability in relation to the sexual misconduct allegations.

He was, however, careful to clarify that the absence of such findings in the sections he had reviewed did not necessarily establish that the entire report contained no relevant conclusions.

He added that the GES headquarters retained the authority to review or vary the findings of a regional committee where sufficient grounds existed.

The Deputy Director-General adopted an unequivocal position on the consequences of proven sexual misconduct, stressing that officers found culpable would face dismissal.

“Once we establish culpability, it’s dismissal,” he stated.

Dr Munawaru distinguished dismissal from termination, explaining that termination could allow an officer to leave the service with certain benefits, whereas dismissal constituted a more severe sanction bringing the officer’s service to an abrupt end.

He further disclosed that the GES Council had approved approximately 15 dismissals in October 2026 in connection with sexual harassment cases dating back to 2021.

The disclosure underscores the Service’s stated resolve to enforce professional discipline and hold personnel accountable for substantiated sexual misconduct.

Committee advocates stronger safeguarding mechanisms

Beyond the proposed reposting and disciplinary referrals, the committee recommended measures to strengthen the institutional mechanisms for reporting sexual harassment.

Under Recommendation 24, it proposed more robust reporting channels, alongside specialised training for designated staff responsible for receiving and handling complaints.

The objective is to ensure that allegations are addressed confidentially, expeditiously and in accordance with GES safeguarding policies.

Such interventions are intended to improve the reporting process, strengthen institutional accountability and provide students with appropriate channels to raise concerns without fear of intimidation or exposure.

The recommendations also reinforce the necessity of effective supervision, transparent disciplinary procedures and a secure educational environment in which students can pursue their academic ambitions without fear of violence, harassment or abuse.

Final determination awaits GES headquarters

The proposed reposting of Zakaria and other implicated staff remains subject to scrutiny by the GES headquarters, with the timing of the final review dependent on directives from the Director-General.

Until the review is concluded, the committee’s recommendation remains a proposal rather than an approved administrative decision.

Similarly, the separate sexual misconduct allegations must be subjected to a thorough investigative process before definitive conclusions on culpability can be reached.

The unfolding developments have placed the administration of Obuasi SHTS under intense scrutiny, with the GES facing the dual responsibility of addressing the aftermath of the campus violence and ensuring that allegations of sexual misconduct receive impartial and comprehensive examination.

The eventual decisions are expected to shape the institution’s disciplinary response, reinforce safeguarding standards and determine the administrative measures necessary to restore confidence in the school’s leadership and preserve a safe environment for teaching and learning.