The Ghana Education Service (GES) has dismissed reports suggesting that the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School, Abdulai Zakaria, has been exonerated over allegations of sexual abuse involving female students.
The Service has emphasised that investigations into the matter are still ongoing, with its Disciplinary Committee yet to complete its inquiries and submit a final report.
Speaking on JoyNews’ The Pulse on Friday, November 6, GES Public Relations Officer Daniel Fenyi stressed that no person implicated in the allegations had been cleared.
He maintained that the headmaster remained under investigation, adding that the committee had not concluded its work as previously suggested in some media reports.
Mr Fenyi was responding to questions about the progress of the investigation following reports that the disciplinary committee had completed its assignment and cleared the school head.
He explained that although the committee was initially expected to present its findings on Wednesday, it requested additional time to engage all the students who had allegedly been affected by the incidents.
According to him, the committee considers the accounts of the alleged victims crucial to ensuring that its final report accurately captures the experiences of everyone involved.
The GES spokesperson disclosed that some students who were expected to appear before the committee failed to attend their scheduled meetings, while others required alternative arrangements to enable them to participate in the investigation.
Following the request, GES management approved an additional seven working days for the committee to complete its engagements, obtain the necessary information and finalise its report.
Mr Fenyi said management considered the extension necessary to ensure that every affected individual had an opportunity to share their account before the investigation was concluded.
He assured stakeholders that the disciplinary process remained active and that the committee was expected to complete its assignment within the additional period granted.
He further revealed that members of the committee had visited the Obuasi Senior High Technical School campus to interact with students and gather additional information as part of efforts to establish the facts surrounding the allegations.
The GES has therefore urged the public to disregard reports claiming that the headmaster has been cleared, as no final determination has been made on the matter.