Obuasi Senior High Technical School has been closed for months after students reportedly attacked headmaster Zakaria Abdulai amid allegations of sexual misconduct involving about 19 female students. The closure came after the Ashanti Regional Education Directorate and the Obuasi Municipal Assembly ordered the shutdown following the incident. Abdulai remains under investigation, with no formal conclusion reached.
A group calling itself Concerned Citizens of Adansi has petitioned the Adansihene to intervene and call for the immediate reopening of the school. The group pointed out that academic activities have not resumed despite the start of the new senior high school academic calendar. Form Two and Form Three students remain at home with no clear timeline for returning.
“The situation is particularly alarming for Form Three students, who should be preparing intensively for their West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE),” the petition said. It warned that the loss of instructional time threatens their examination preparation and academic prospects.
The group also described the distress among parents and guardians over the uncertainty facing their children’s education. “Our children must not become collateral victims of an administrative crisis. Their right to education and their prospects for academic success must not be sacrificed while the relevant authorities deliberate over the issues surrounding the school,” the statement read.
The petition raised concerns over reports that 38 teachers were dismissed from Obuasi SHTS following criticism of how the sexual misconduct allegations were managed. The group questioned the fairness of the dismissals and warned they could create a perception of victimisation.
“We acknowledge that the allegations require independent verification. Nevertheless, we are deeply concerned that the reported transfers could create a perception of victimisation and divert public attention from the substantive issues that require investigation,” the statement said.
It added that displacing teachers should not replace establishing the truth or punish educators who raise legitimate concerns about their institution. The group is calling for an impartial investigation into both the allegations against Abdulai and the reported directive affecting the teachers.
The Concerned Citizens of Adansi appealed to traditional authorities to act swiftly to secure the school’s reopening and to ensure the ongoing investigations are conducted fairly. They said resolving the matter was necessary to protect students’ education while addressing the allegations and concerns raised by staff.
The school’s closure follows a JoyNews exposé that detailed claims of sexual encounters between Abdulai and multiple female students. The allegations have not been substantiated, and investigations continue.
Obuasi Senior High Technical School has been a significant educational institution in the Ashanti Region. Its prolonged closure has disrupted the academic calendar and drawn attention to school governance and student safety.
As the investigations proceed, the future of the 38 teachers and the timeline for reopening the school remain uncertain. The intervention of the Adansihene may prove decisive in restoring academic activities amid the ongoing probe.
According to Joy Online.
