The Obuasi Senior High Technical School (Sec Tech) in the Ashanti Region has been closed indefinitely following a violent student riot during which the school’s headmaster, Abdulai Zakaria, was severely assaulted and school property vandalized.
Mr. Zakaria sustained multiple injuries in the attack and is currently receiving medical care at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in Kumasi.
Midnight Confrontation and Ritual Claims
The unrest erupted in the early hours of Wednesday, August 5, 2026, between 12:30 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., after a student spotted the headmaster’s vehicle parked near the school’s refuse dump.
The student raised an alarm, drawing a large crowd of students to the area. Allegations quickly spread across campus that the headmaster was involved in ritual activities after students claimed to have uncovered the buried body of a fetus at the site.
The situation rapidly escalated as an irate mob of students confronted Mr. Zakaria, physically assaulting him and proceeding to ransack his official bungalow alongside other campus facilities.
Police Intervention, Arrests, and School Shutdown
Law enforcement personnel quickly deployed to the school to quell the riot, rescue the headmaster, and safeguard public property.
Police confirmed that six suspects have been arrested for their roles in the violence and vandalism, and they are currently assisting investigators.
Following an assessment by the Obuasi Municipal Directorate of Education, authorities ordered an immediate and indefinite shutdown of the institution to restore calm and secure the campus.
Ministry of Education Condemns Violence
In an official statement, the Ministry of Education strongly condemned the violence, describing the assault on the headmaster and the destruction of state property as completely unacceptable and criminal.
Deputy Minister for Education, Dr. Clement Apaak, directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to conduct a thorough investigation alongside police inquiries.
"All investigations and any subsequent disciplinary or legal actions must be strictly conducted in line with the laws and regulations governing Ghana's education sector," the Ministry emphasized, appealing for calm while state agencies establish the complete facts of the incident.
