CREP: Abuse of Teachers Must End, Enforcement Must Follow Condemnation

The Centre for Research and Education Policy (CREP) welcomes President John Dramani Mahama’s strong condemnation of the abuse and assault of teachers. His position reinforces an uncomfortable truth Ghana has ignored for too long: a system that allows teachers to be intimidated, humiliated, or attacked cannot deliver quality education.

Teacher abuse in Ghana takes many forms—verbal threats, physical assaults, harassment by students, parents, and community members, and institutional neglect when incidents occur. These acts erode authority in classrooms, destroy morale, and normalise lawlessness within the school environment.

CREP recalls that in 2025 it published a detailed article on the abuse of a teacher by students at Kade Senior High School. At the time, the incident exposed serious gaps in discipline enforcement, student conduct management, and institutional response. CREP’s intervention raised national concern and compelled the Ghana Education Service (GES) to issue a public statement on the matter. That episode demonstrated two things clearly: teacher abuse is real, and silence only empowers it.

President Mahama’s public stance is therefore timely. However, CREP stresses that condemnation alone is insufficient. Teachers require enforceable protection, not sympathy after harm has occurred. Clear protocols must exist for reporting abuse, swift disciplinary action must follow verified incidents, and school authorities must be held accountable for negligence or cover-ups.

CREP further warns against the growing culture where teacher authority is undermined in the name of misplaced student-centeredness. Discipline and child protection are not mutually exclusive. Respect for teachers is a prerequisite for effective learning and safe school environments.

If teachers are unsafe, classrooms become unstable. If authority collapses, learning suffers. Ghana cannot claim to prioritise education while tolerating the abuse of its educators.

CREP urges the Ministry of Education and the GES to move beyond statements and develop a national teacher protection framework that clearly defines offences, sanctions, and institutional responsibilities. Anything less perpetuates a cycle of abuse and silence.

CREP remains committed to advocating for teacher dignity, safety, and professional respect. Protecting teachers is not optional. It is foundational to the future of Ghana’s education system.

Centre for Research and Education Policy (CREP)