The Ghana Federation of Disability Organisations (GFD) has strongly condemned the handling of a sexual abuse allegation involving a 14-year-old autistic student at Bolgatanga Girls’ Senior High School (BOGISS), describing the school’s disciplinary action against the victim as a “textbook case of institutional betrayal.”
The national umbrella body for Organisations of Persons with Disabilities commended the Ministry of Education for ordering the immediate reversal of all sanctions imposed on the student, who was allegedly sexually abused by two watchmen employed by the school.
Speaking on Nyankonton Mu Nsem on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Mr. Atsu Homadzi, President of the GFD, called for the immediate interdiction of the school’s headmistress, accusing her of severely mishandling the situation. He argued that the student should have been treated primarily as a vulnerable child requiring protection and support, rather than as a perpetrator of sexual misconduct.
“The internal school correspondence dated August 20, 2026, which declared the student ‘guilty of sexual misconduct’ and recommended her dismissal under the Ghana Education Service code of conduct—subsequently commuted to the withdrawal of her boarding status for one academic year—was an insult that treated her like an offender when she was the victim. We therefore commend the Ministry of Education for taking action; ordering that the victim be reinstated is a positive step, but we demand the interdiction of the headmistress.”
The GFD emphasized that there was no legal or moral basis for imposing disciplinary sanctions on a 14-year-old in connection with alleged sexual abuse involving adults.
“A child cannot be guilty of her own abuse,” the GFD stated. “Under Ghanaian law, a child below 16 cannot legally consent to sexual intercourse with an adult. If the allegations against the two watchmen are established, criminal responsibility rests entirely with the alleged perpetrators.”
Mr. Homadzi further appealed to the Minister for Justice and Attorney-General to take a direct interest in the case to ensure the perpetrators face full prosecution. He also proposed immediate psychosocial support for both the victim and her parents to help them navigate the severe trauma caused by the incident.
Reiterating the call for accountability, he stressed that the headmistress must be interdicted immediately to prevent any potential interference with the ongoing investigation.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana