The family of the 14-year-old student reportedly sexually abused at Bolgatanga Girls’ Senior High School (BOGISS) has thanked Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, his Deputy Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, and former Ambassador to Italy and Upper East Regional Minister Tangoba Abayage for condemning the abuse and for their “overwhelming” support.
In a statement forwarded to Media Without Borders– the media outlet that broke the news of the abuse- the family say they are particularly appreciative of the Ministry of Education’s directive for the immediate reinstatement of the victim’s boarding status, which was withdrawn by the school after the abuse.
The family also extended its gratitude to the Ghana Education Service (GES), the National Secretariat of the National Council of Parent-Teacher Associations (NCPTAs), Africa Education Watch (Eduwatch), Child Rights International, Ghana and the general public for their solidarity and intervention.
“The intervention and the support mean a lot to us. We are grateful to Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, Hon. Dr. Clement Apaak, Her Excellency Tangoba Abayage, and all the institutions for condemning a school letter that treated our daughter like a perpetrator when she is the victim of a crime committed by two members of the school’s staff,” the family said.
“We have followed the discussions on social and mainstream media and we are grateful to the public. We humbly ask authorities to follow this matter to its logical conclusion.”
The statement comes after the Ministry of Education condemned the sexual abuse of the student by two watchmen of the school. In a statement signed by Deputy Minister for Education and Member of Parliament (MP) for Builsa South, Dr. Clement Abas Apaak, the Ministry said it expressed grave concern over the incident.
“We condemn in the strongest terms any act of sexual abuse or exploitation of a child under our care. Schools exist to protect and nurture students, and any breach of that trust- particularly by adults entrusted with safeguarding vulnerable children- is unacceptable and will not be tolerated,” the statement said.
“We wish to state unequivocally that a minor cannot be held responsible for sexual abuse perpetrated against her by an adult,” it added.
The ministry disclosed that the Minister for Education, Haruna Iddrisu, had directed the Ghana Education Service (GES) to investigate the matter and report immediately. The directive also includes ensuring that the victim receives all necessary medical attention and counselling for her quick recovery.
In addition, the GES is to immediately reinstate the boarding status of the victim. The abuse, first reported by Media Without Borders on 18 August 2026, allegedly involved two watchmen of the school who have since been arrested by the Upper East Regional Police Command and put before court.
The Circuit Court in Bolgatanga, capital of the Upper East Region, remanded the two accused- Adams Nyaaba Iddrisu, 72, and Elvis Adongo, 38- into police custody on Thursday, 20 August 2026, and adjourned the case to Wednesday, 2 September 2026.
How the abuse allegedly happened
The first assault is said to have happened in the last week of June 2026, just after the school’s regular evening study, known as prep.
Media Without Borders was told the student was walking back to her dormitory when a watchman on night duty allegedly enticed her to the back of the dining hall with food and had sexual intercourse with her.
Days later, a second alleged assault occurred at daybreak. The girl had gone to the main gate’s security post to collect her tablet she had left there overnight for charging, and the watchman on duty at the post allegedly had sex with her.
Sources at the school say each of the two guards abused her one more time in early July, bringing the incidents to four in total.
Second sexual abuse linked to tablet charging struggles
Sources tie the case in part to how students charge the tablets supplied under the government’s one-student-one-tablet initiative.
According to the sources, the school’s management took Gh¢100 (USD 8.98; 7.68 euros) from every parent for a screen protector and another Gh¢30 (USD 2.69; 2.30 euros) per parent to fix a charging board in each classroom.
But the boards provided were inadequate, leaving students to look for other places to power their devices — including at the security post.
What the headmistress said
The headmistress, Gifty Ayamba, confirmed she had reported the case to the Bolgatanga Municipal and Upper East Regional Education Directorates as well as the police.
On the levies, she said students were stopped from charging at teachers’ bungalows and staff offices were locked after work hours.
That, she said, strained the few charging points and caused complaints about stolen power banks.
She said the Gh¢1,800 (USD 161.62; 138.27 euros) per classroom quoted by an electrician for a charging board was divided into Gh¢30 per student, paid voluntarily.
Boards have been fitted only in classrooms where parents have finished paying. It was not a GES directive but an internal arrangement, she noted.
On the defilement allegation, she said the student first reported one guard to the Dean of Discipline and later cited a second. Both men, she said, admitted to the act before the school’s disciplinary committee.
She said while the GES code allows for dismissal of staff who defiled a student, the committee instead recommended changing the victim’s status from boarding to day student, on the grounds that she was lured with food and money and that her vulnerability was exploited.
She added that as a day student, the girl would be able to take her medication regularly.
Family faults school
After the school referred the two watchmen to the Municipal Education Directorate, it converted the girl to day student.
Her mother said she was too traumatised to speak to the press. A relative, Akolbulgo-Zotipelba Ayeo-Duko, who spoke for the family, confirmed the abuse and told Media Without Borders the school treated the girl unfairly.
The family says she has moderate autism and that remaining in school is crucial to her development. Daily classroom learning and interaction with her peers, they believe, is key to building her social skills and helping her feel included.
The family is also aggrieved by a letter from the school in July labelling the minor “guilty of sexual misconduct” under the GES code.
“GES is now doing integration; every child can go to any school. Children with special needs no longer need to isolate themselves and be in any special school,” Ayeo-Duko said.
He added: “It is hurting for an institution to treat a 14-year-old child this way because they think she thinks differently or is behaving differently due to her medical condition. Children commit suicide because of such unfair treatment. It’s wrong. Clearly, these watchmen took unlawful advantage of her medical condition.”
The Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU) told Media Without Borders on Sunday, August 16, that the case had been lodged and that moves were underway to arrest the two guards.
The police arrested the two watchmen on Tuesday, 18 August 2026, and put them before the Circuit Court in Bolgatanga the following day.
The two accused were remanded in police custody and the case adjourned to Wednesday, 2 September 2026.
Source: Edward Adeti/Media Without Borders/mwbonline.org/Ghana/West Africa
