Suspend salaries of teachers who sexually abuse students for one year –UPSA Lecturer to GES

A Lecturer at the University of Professional Studies, Accra(UPSA) Daniel Fenyi is advocating the suspension of the salaries of teachers who sexually abuse their students as a punitive measure.

He opposes either the outright firing of such teachers or their transfer to another school.

His remarks follow the recent detention of Emmanuel Nyarko, the Headmaster of Benkum Senior High School (SHS) in the Eastern Region, by the Ghana Education Service due to charges of sexual misconduct.

In the meantime, investigations into Mr. Nyarko’s alleged amorous relationships with about 15 female students at the institution are ongoing.

According to information that has come to light, other teachers at the school who were reportedly committing similar acts mentioned his actions when attempting to secure their transfers to other educational facilities.

The incident happened in 2022, and an investigation has been ongoing ever since.

Mr. Daniel Fenyi, a professional counselor who commented on the despicable conduct, said he thought suspending the salary of the offending instructor for an entire year would be sufficient punishment to bring him to justice.

“I don’t believe that teachers who sexually abuse students must be outrightly dismissed for them to be unemployed. I think that such teachers must rather have their salary suspended for one year. If such a teacher stays home for one year with no pay and he has to really struggle to make ends meet and fend for his family, and he comes back, he will know the value of the work he’s doing.”

He added: “Many people believe that government workers are not easily dismissed when they go wrong unlike it happens in the private sector, so take a whole lot of things for granted. Let’s begin to suspend people’s salaries. When they go one year or six months without salary they will come back and put value to their work.”