The Coalition for the Ghana Youth Federation (Co-GYF), has urged the Ghana Education Service (GES) to take steps to tackle sexual abuse in schools.
A statement signed by Mrs Theodora W. Anti of the Co-GYF said following recent reports of sexual scandals in schools, the Coalition was of the view that the practice had been condoned for far too long in schools and it was time to stop it.
It said the Coalition was, therefore, calling on the Ministry of Education, the GES, Parent and Teacher Associations (PTAs), School Management Committees (SMCs), Traditional Authorities, Teacher Unions, the National Youth Authority (NYA), the Ministry of Youth and Sports, The Ministry of Children, Gender and Social Protection, the Media, Civil Society and all other relevant stakeholders to urgently take proactive action to protect and save the future of the girl child and our society.
“It is important to note that some victims of this abuse never fully recover even though the perpetrators are left to continue their lives as usual,” it stated.
The statement said the act perpetuates a distorted understanding of a way of life to the victims who were mostly girls and discriminatorily undermines the quality of their education.
It said consequently, these children miss out on the opportunity to realise their full potential, gravely undermining the future of the child and tacitly working against women empowerment and gender equality.
The statement said the deadly threat was that society was gradually getting convinced that it was okay!