STORY BY IRENE KABUKIE KWAO –

The Ghana Education Service (GES) is set to issue a directive prohibiting teachers from inviting students to their bungalows to perform household chores, as part of efforts to prevent sexual misconduct and strengthen student protection in schools.

Director-General of the GES, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, announced the move, stating that regional education directors would be formally notified on October 23, 2026, to remind teachers of the professional standards governing their conduct.

According to him, the practice violates the GES Code of Conduct, which expressly prohibits teachers from asking students to undertake domestic duties.

Professor Davis stressed that teachers must familiarise themselves with the code and comply with its provisions, warning that inviting students to their residences for household chores is unacceptable.

“I agree with those calling for a ban on students going to teachers’ bungalows. We are going to write to schools to make sure that it doesn’t happen because in our code of conduct, in Section 3.7 (V), it is written that the students are not expected to be asked to engage in household chores,” he said.

He added that the directive would be communicated through regional education directors to ensure that the message reaches teachers across the country.

The GES Director-General maintained that the existing code provides clear guidelines on appropriate professional relationships between teachers and students, and that staff must adhere to these standards to safeguard learners.

The planned directive comes amid growing concerns about the safety and welfare of students, particularly following allegations of sexual abuse involving the headmaster of Obuasi Senior High Technical School (SHTS), Zakaria Abdulai.

Abdulai is accused of raping 19 students, a case that has renewed attention on safeguarding measures and the responsibility of school authorities to protect learners from abuse and exploitation.

The GES has indicated that reminding teachers of the code of conduct forms part of efforts to reinforce professional boundaries and discourage practices that could expose students to potential harm.

The proposed communication is expected to serve as a reminder to teachers and school administrators that students must not be used for personal or domestic services, and that their safety, dignity and welfare must remain a priority within the education system.