The Church of Pentecost’s Schools Outreach Ministry issued a stern warning to teachers, urging them to refrain from sexually abusing, harassing or bullying female students. The message was delivered during an event organized with the Ghana Education Service to mark the International Day of the Girl Child.
Rev. Joseph Buertey, chairman of the ministry’s outreach arm, condemned the conduct as a betrayal of teachers’ fundamental responsibilities. “If you are a teacher and you are abusing a girl, harassing a girl, you are sleeping with a girl, what it means is that you don’t understand your profession,” he said. He added that teachers should educate, empower and prepare students for the future, not exploit them for personal gain.
Buertey warned that any teacher found engaging in such misconduct would face legal consequences, stating, “When you are discovered, the law will deal with you.” The ministry’s statement comes after the JoyNews Research Team documented at least 44 cases of sexual abuse involving teachers since 2015, with school heads accounting for 40 per cent of recent cases.
The event also highlighted the need to involve boys in discussions about girls’ education, safety and protection. Korle Klottey Municipal Education Director Ebenezer Perry Ofori questioned whether enough attention was being paid to boys, urging that raising boys and girls together would promote balance and mutual understanding.
A student, Celestine Kporfor, attended the event and urged parents and guardians to invest in their daughters’ education, describing it as a vital contribution to their future and national development.
The engagement, which brought together students from basic and senior high schools across the Korle Klottey Municipality, forms part of broader efforts to protect girls’ rights and ensure schools remain safe learning environments.
