Adutwum proposes criminal sanctions for teachers who fail to report child abuse

Former Education Minister Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum has called for mandatory reporting laws requiring teachers, medical professionals and other relevant professionals to report suspected child sexual abuse, with criminal sanctions for those who fail to do so.

He argues that Ghana’s current system relies too heavily on the Ghana Education Service (GES) to handle abuse cases, making stronger legal obligations and enforcement necessary to protect students.

Speaking in an interview on JoyNews’ The Pulse, Dr Adutwum said reporting suspected abuse should be a legal duty rather than a matter of personal discretion.

“As a medical doctor who gets wind of this, a child comes and you know that he has been abused, it's not optional for you to say I'm not reporting. A teacher who observes something going on, it's not optional. You have to report. So it becomes part of the law,” he said.

Dr Adutwum said mandatory reporting requirements should be backed by criminal sanctions and professional consequences for those who fail to act.

He proposed strengthening the regulatory framework governing teachers, including possible amendments to the National Teaching Council Act to empower the National Teaching Council to withdraw the licences of teachers who fail to report suspected abuse.

“If you are a teacher, you can even lose your licence to teach,” he said.

Dr Adutwum acknowledged that the Children’s Act contains reporting requirements but argued that enforcement remains weak.

He also raised concerns about teachers working without professional licences, particularly in some private schools, questioning how effectively disciplinary measures could be enforced across the education sector.

The former minister said his concern extended beyond the ongoing case at Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), where allegations of sexual abuse involving students have prompted investigations.

He said the immediate case was already before the police, but stressed the need for reforms to prevent similar incidents in other schools.

“The issue is already in the hands of the police, and they are doing their work, but how do you prevent another one is what my focus is,” he said.

The Obuasi SHTS case has drawn national attention to how schools respond to allegations of sexual abuse and whether complaints are reported and handled promptly.

The number of students reported to have made allegations against the school’s suspended headmaster has risen to 19.

The allegations remain subject to investigation, and the authorities are expected to establish the facts through the appropriate legal processes.

Dr Adutwum’s proposal adds to calls for stronger child protection measures, including clearer reporting obligations and effective sanctions for professionals who fail to act on suspected abuse.