PTAs Commend State Response to BOGISS Sexual Abuse Case, Demands Full Accountability
Parents' body commends government response to BOGISS abuse case, calls for nationwide vetting of school security personnel and swift prosecution.
Felicia Afunyabea
View author profile 2d ago·3 min read
The National Council of Parent Teacher Associations (NCPTAs) has commended the Ministry of Education, the Ghana Education Service (GES) and the Ghana Police Service for their response to the reported sexual abuse of a 14-year-old student with autism at Bolgatanga Girls' Senior High School (BOGISS).
In a statement signed by its General Secretary, Gapson Kofi Raphael, the NCPTAs said the actions taken by state institutions demonstrate institutional responsibility, but stressed that the process must be sustained until justice is fully served.
The council welcomed the Ministry of Education's immediate condemnation of the incident, its directive for investigations, the provision of medical and psychosocial support to the victim, and the decision to reinstate her boarding status.
It also commended the GES for interdicting the two security personnel allegedly involved and the Upper East Regional Police Command for arresting the suspects identified as Elvis Adongo, 38, and Adams Nyaaba Iddrisu, 72, and committing to prosecute them.
The NCPTAs said the incident was particularly disturbing because the victim is a child with autism and therefore deserves heightened protection and support.
"No child, and particularly a child with special needs, can be held responsible for sexual abuse perpetrated by an adult," the council stated, insisting that the victim must receive protection, dignity and full support rather than stigma.
Calls for nationwide audit of school security personnel
The parents' body also raised concerns about the employment of a 72-year-old man as a school security officer, arguing that security positions in schools require personnel who are physically capable, alert and able to exercise sound judgment.
The NCPTAs called on the GES to review its recruitment practices and conduct a nationwide vetting and audit of security personnel and other non-teaching staff in schools.
The audit, it said, should cover the age, background and fitness for duty of personnel working around students.
It further called for mandatory child-protection and safeguarding training for school staff, including specific training on how to protect students with special educational needs.
Demands administrative and criminal accountability
The NCPTAs said the matter must not be treated solely as an internal disciplinary issue, stressing that allegations of sexual abuse against a child constitute a criminal matter.
It called on the GES to ensure that any staff found culpable face dismissal in accordance with the GES Code of Conduct and are debarred from public service where applicable.
The council also urged the Attorney-General, the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Judiciary to ensure diligent prosecution under Ghanaian law, including provisions of the Criminal Offences Act, 1960 (Act 29), the Children's Act, 1998 (Act 560), and Article 28 of the 1992 Constitution.
The NCPTAs declared that there must be no unnecessary delays in the pursuit of justice.
"We will not accept silence. We will not accept impunity," the council said, calling for a school system that is safe, dignified and accountable.
Call for stronger PTA involvement
The council urged regional and school PTAs to work closely with school management and the GES to strengthen safeguarding measures.
Among the measures proposed are improved monitoring of school access points, supervised device-charging areas, stricter visitor logging and the inclusion of child-protection education in PTA engagements.
The NCPTAs specifically called on the BOGISS PTA leadership and the Upper East Regional NCPTA leadership to demonstrate solidarity with the victim and her family and cooperate fully with state institutions pursuing the case.
The council also expressed its solidarity with the victim's family, assuring them that the national parent community stands behind them.
"To the victim: You are a daughter of Ghana. The entire parent community is behind you," the statement said.
The NCPTAs maintained that protecting children in schools is a collective responsibility and called for stronger systems to prevent abuse and ensure accountability when violations occur.