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In late September 2025, a viral video allegedly showing Charles Aidoo, Assistant Headmaster (Academic) of KNUST Senior High School, in a compromising situation with a female student sparked outrage in Ghana.
The Ghana Education Service (GES) acted swiftly and removed Charles, interdicting him (barred from campus) while investigations proceeded.
GES described the incident as a “serious breach” and reaffirmed its “commitment to upholding the highest standards of professionalism, discipline, and child protection in all our schools”. Officials promised “appropriate disciplinary action in line with the GES Code of Conduct.”
What the rules say
The GES Code of Conduct is clear and concise. The GES operates under a strict code of conduct for its staff, which expressly forbids any sexual or indecent activity with students. Relevant provisions include:
- No sexual harassment of students: The GES Code states that “No employee shall directly or indirectly do anything that may constitute sexual harassment of a pupil/student.”. In 2005 regulations, any teacher who sexually harasses another person at work “will be deemed to have misconducted himself.
- No sexual intercourse with pupils: The policy flatly prohibits sex with any student. As one GES handbook notes, “No employee shall indulge in immoral relations or have sexual intercourse (either with or without the consent of the victim) with a pupil or student in a pre-tertiary… institution.”. Likewise, the Headteachers’ Handbook (2010) and earlier codes declare that any carnal knowledge of a student (consensual or not) is gross misconduct.
- No indecency or seduction: The rules also prohibit any lewd acts or indecent behavior toward students. The GES says “no staff shall publicly or in secret willfully commit any act of indecency towards any pupil/student,” nor “cause or encourage the seduction, carnal knowledge or the commission of indecent assault of a pupil/student.”*. Any such behaviour is specifically identified as professional misconduct.
- Mandatory sanctions: The code requires severe penalties for violations. For example, the GES handbook (2010) states that rape or sexual relations with a schoolgirl resulting in pregnancy “shall attract an outright dismissal from the service,” and even a non-rape sexual affair leads to a suspension without pay for two years, with dismissal if repeated. Generally, any teacher found in breach of these rules is subject to “the severest of sanctions”.
Beyond internal rules, Ghana’s Criminal Code criminalises sexual abuse of minors. Even when a student is above 16, sexual relationships with teachers may qualify as abuse of trust or exploitation under broader laws.
Social and public reaction
Public commentary online has been almost unanimous in condemning the alleged misconduct.
Expert analysis: more than one teacher, a systemic problem
Bright Appiah, Executive Director of Child Rights International, stressed that while the teacher’s conduct is indefensible, the scandal highlights systemic failures.
“It is not only about the teacher; it is also about the system. We don’t really have a clear safeguarding policy within our school system. If you sack or transfer a teacher without strong enforcement mechanisms, you are simply shifting the problem elsewhere,” he told DUBAWA.
He added that Ghana’s child protection frameworks remain weak, “Our state school system has not clearly defined conduct and corresponding punishments in a way that guarantees child safety. Without that, deterrence is limited.”
Dr. Peter Attafuah, Senior Education Advisor at Africa Education Watch, agreed that GES rules exist but are inconsistently applied.
“The code of conduct as we have now is enough, except that what goes into it when an incident occurs is inadequate. Too often, teachers are simply reposted. That is not a solution. Anyone guilty of sexual misconduct does not qualify to be a teacher.”
He warned that a lack of passion and professionalism in sections of the teaching workforce may also contribute to repeated breaches.
Child protection and psychological concerns
Child rights advocates argue that the scandal should not be viewed narrowly as a single teacher’s misconduct. Abuse by authority figures can cause lasting trauma, undermine trust in schools, and discourage victims from reporting.
Ghana’s Children’s Act (1998) requires the protection of minors in all settings, but enforcement in education remains patchy.
Appiah emphasised that beyond punishment, students need to be educated about their rights and equipped to resist abuse:
“Are young girls and boys assertive enough to say no when advances are made by teachers? If children are not well informed about their rights, then even cases of consent cannot be genuine.”
Another case in Oti Region
The KNUST SHS scandal is not an isolated incident. Barely a week later, the Ghana Education Service interdicted another teacher, Mr. Mfo Tibetor of Okadjakrom Senior High Technical School in the Oti Region, after a video surfaced on social media allegedly implicating him in sexual misconduct with a female student.
In a statement dated October 2, GES described the behaviour as “unacceptable, unethical, and a clear violation of the professional code of conduct for teachers.” It announced that Mr. Tibetor had been barred from campus while investigations proceed, stressing that the safety of students remained its “topmost priority” and that any teacher found guilty of misconduct would “face the full rigours of the law.”
What comes next?
GES has promised a disciplinary inquiry. If criminal elements are established, such as defilement, the matter could be referred to the Ghana Police Service or the Domestic Violence and Victims Support Unit (DOVVSU). But as Appiah noted, past investigations often ended without meaningful deterrence:
“The outcome of investigations is usually not anything to write home about. Letters and transfers don’t solve the issue.”
However, GES’s swift interdiction of the assistant headmaster appears to demonstrate a zero-tolerance stance on paper. But child rights experts argue that Ghana needs clearer safeguarding policies, consistent enforcement, and proactive student empowerment to make schools truly safe. Without systemic reforms, they warn, the cycle of abuse and outrage may simply repeat.
Conclusion
The KNUST SHS scandal has once again exposed the fragile state of child protection in Ghana’s schools. While swift interdictions and disciplinary codes are essential, experts stress that they cannot stand alone. Proper safety requires a culture of zero tolerance, consistent enforcement, and empowering students to speak out without fear. Until safeguarding becomes as much a part of school life as teaching and learning, viral scandals may fade, but the risks to children will remain.
