A Justice of the Court of Appeal, Her Ladyship Justice Irene Charity Larbi, has sent a strong warning to male teachers against having sexual relations with school girls, adding that such perpetrators will be dealt with accordingly.
She has thus implored heads of schools to keenly monitor teachers who perpetrate such acts and see to it that they are brought to book.
In her strongly worded caution to teachers, she said, “they (the girls) are entrusted to your care by their parents with the understanding that you will provide them academic and moral guidance. It is most unethical, not to mention criminal, for this duty of care to be compromised by amorous relationships”.
Her Ladyship gave the warning in her speech at the 58th Speech and Prize-Giving Day of Mfantsiman Girls’ Senior High School at Saltpond in the Central Region on Saturday.
Her warning comes after increasing reports on such practice, leading to the indictment of some nine teachers at Ejisuman SHS in the Ashanti Region for alleged sexual abuse of their students.
On how the practice is affecting girls, Her Ladyship further noted that, “We cannot have the innocence of our young ones so callously and casually destroyed”.
Speaking on the theme for the occasion ‘Free SHS: The Role of the Parent and Other Stakeholders’, the Justice of the Court of Appeal also urged parents not to shirk their responsibility towards their children’s education because of the Free Senior High School Policy rolled out by government in September 2017.
“While on the face of it, this absolves parents of one of the demanding items on the household budgets; it is by no means a complete removal of parents’ financial obligations to their wards and the schools they attend”, she advised.
On the challenges facing the Free SHS Policy, the Court of Appeal Justice said though “critics and skeptics” have indicated that the increase in numbers could lead to a compromise in quality and standard, such must not be allowed to happen.”
She urged government and educational authorities to “pay closer attention to the upholding of standards in the quality of instruction available” to school children.
