Deputy Education Minister Dr Clement Apaak has said the government is taking a keen interest in the alleged sexual abuse of a 14-year-old student with autism at the Bolgatanga Girls’ Senior High School (BOGISS) in the Upper East Region.

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He said the Ministry of Education was concerned about the manner in which the matter had been handled by the school authorities and had directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure that the student received the necessary medical attention and counselling.

Speaking on Joy FM’s News Night on Thursday, August 20, Dr Apaak said the government’s intervention was intended to protect the student and reassure parents about the safety of their children in schools.

He said the Minister for Education had instructed him to lead the intervention while the ministry awaited a comprehensive report from the Director-General of the Ghana Education Service.

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According to him, the ministry had also directed that the student’s boarding status, which had reportedly been withdrawn following the incident, be reinstated.

“And that is why we have asked that the victim, whom we hear is a 14-year-old special needs student, should be given the needed counselling as well as the medical attention she requires and that her revoked boarding status should be reinstated,” Dr Apaak said.

He explained that the intervention followed concerns that the parents of the student were dissatisfied with the manner in which the school management had dealt with the matter.

Dr Apaak said the Minister was unhappy that a matter of such gravity had become public before the relevant education authorities had adequately addressed it.

“But the reason why this was instructed is because we are aware that the parents have not taken kindly to the way the matter has been handled, including the set instructions that were issued by the school, that she should be withdrawn from the boarding school and that medical expenses, counselling and all of that should be borne by the parents,” he said.

He said the circumstances surrounding the case raised questions about the responsibilities of the regional and municipal education authorities, as well as the school administration.

📰 Source: Joy Online Ghana