Protect female students – NAB urges universities

The National Accreditation Board (NAB) has called on the authorities of the various tertiary institutions across Ghana “to protect students, especially the females”, by instituting appropriate systems and structures, as well as strengthening and fully implementing their sexual harassment policies.

In a statement signed and issued by the Acting Executive Secretary of NAB, Dr Kingsley Nyarko on Thursday, in reaction to the BBC's ‘Sex for Grades’ documentary, the NAB said students who have been preyed upon by lecturers must muster courage to report them.

According to the NAB, it was appalled by the potential damage the investigative piece by the BBC could have on the reputation of the University of Ghana.

“As regulator of tertiary education, the National Accreditation Board is appalled by the potential damage that this investigative piece could do to the reputation of University of Ghana and seriously implore all institutions to protect students, especially the females, by instituting appropriate systems, structures and strengthen and fully implement its sexual harassment policy”.

It added that the Board will not countenance any inappropriate behaviour, which has the tendency to compromise teaching and learning, which ultimately could affect the quality and standard of tertiary education in Ghana.

In the documentary produced by the BBC Africa Eye and published on Monday, October 7, 2019, the BBC reported that it has uncovered sexual harassment at the University of Lagos and the University of Ghana.

The BBC sent female undercover reporters to the campuses of the two universities where it reported that they were sexually harassed, propositioned and put under pressure by senior lecturers – all the while wearing secret cameras.

Following that, two lecturers at the University of Ghana, Professor Ransford Gyampo and Dr Paul Kwame Butakor, shown in the documentary and accused of engaging in sexual harassment on campus have been interdicted by the university.

Read a copy of the NAB statement on the matter

The attention of the National Accreditation Board (NAB) has been drawn to a BBC documentary entitled ‘Sex for Grades’ which involved some lecturers of the University of Ghana and the University of Lagos, Nigeria.

As regulator of tertiary education, the National Accreditation Board is appalled by the potential damage that this investigative piece could do to the reputation of University of Ghana and seriously implore all institutions to protect students, especially the females, by instituting appropriate systems, structures and strengthen and fully implement its sexual harassment policy.

The Board wishes to state emphatically that it will not countenance any inappropriate behaviour, which has the tendency to compromise teaching and learning, which ultimately could affect the quality and standard of tertiary education in Ghana.

It must be stated that a sexual harassment policy is one of the key requirements which an institution must have to merit accreditation to operate as a tertiary education institution.

Students are hereby encouraged to acquaint themselves with the sexual harassment policy of their institutions, must be bold to report such cases to the appropriate offices and avail themselves to its grievance resolution procedures.

…. Signed…
DR. KINGSLEY NYARKO
AG. EXECUTIVE SECRETARY

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