By Grace Zigah
The Zonta Clubs of Ghana have called on the Ministry of Education to take decisive action against teachers and headteachers who sexually abuse schoolgirls, demanding the immediate dismissal and prosecution of individuals found guilty of such offences.
In a press release dated October 16, 2026, and signed by Adodo Abla Adih-Nuviadenu, President Zonta Club of Accra Metropolitan, the organisation condemned the sexual abuse of minors by some male teachers and headteachers, describing the acts as a grave betrayal of trust, authority and the duty of care owed to children entrusted to educational institutions.
The organisation stressed that schools must remain safe environments for learning, personal development and opportunity, rather than places where girls are exploited and deprived of their childhood by adults responsible for their protection.
The Zonta Clubs of Ghana urged the Ministry of Education to ensure that allegations of sexual abuse are investigated promptly and thoroughly, insisting that no teacher or headteacher should be shielded from accountability because of their professional position or connections.
According to the organisation, any teacher or headteacher found to have sexually abused a child must face immediate dismissal and prosecution under Ghana’s child protection and criminal laws.It further warned that school authorities who conceal abuse or retaliate against survivors must also be held accountable.
As part of its demands, the organisation called for zero tolerance for the sexual abuse of children in all educational institutions. It also advocated swift and independent investigations into reported cases, with due process observed and appropriate sanctions imposed on those found culpable.
The group emphasised the need to provide survivors with immediate protection and psychosocial support, while ensuring they are not subjected to victim-blaming, intimidation or retaliation. It also called for accountability at every level of the education system, including school leadership and officials who fail to act on credible reports of sexual abuse.
To prevent future incidents, the Zonta Clubs of Ghana urged the authorities to strengthen safeguarding systems, establish confidential reporting channels and introduce regular monitoring mechanisms in schools.
The organisation maintained that every survivor deserves justice, dignity and support, rather than silence or intimidation. It called on the Ministry of Education to move beyond public condemnation and demonstrate its commitment to child protection through concrete action.
The statement emphasised that a teacher’s position must never be used as a licence to exploit a child, while the authority of a headteacher must not serve as protection against justice.
