Accra:Child Rights International (CRI) has urged a comprehensive review of the Ghana Education Service (GES) Code of Conduct to bolster child protection and safeguarding measures in schools.
According to Ghana News Agency, the organization emphasized that the revised Code should prioritize the safety, dignity, rights, and best interests of children, ensuring effective responses to abuse allegations. Mr. Bright Appiah, Executive Director of CRI, highlighted these needs during a press conference in Accra, citing persistent reports of sexual abuse in basic and senior high schools.
Mr. Appiah expressed concerns about the current system's lack of institutional accountability and inefficient reporting mechanisms, which seem to prompt action only when incidents gain public attention. He proposed that the GES counselling unit be elevated to an independent authority, supported by a Child Protection Oversight Mechanism to improve impartiality and complaint handling.
Further, Mr. Appiah advocated for integrating Social Welfare Officers into schools to strengthen abuse case management and referrals, and for implementing stronger administrative procedures for handling complaints and disciplinary matters involving children. He stressed the importance of timely and appropriate responses to allegations, regardless of public or media attention, and called for a renewed national commitment to safeguarding children in educational institutions.