GES report identifies teacher divisions, student gangs as factors in Obuasi SHTS unrest

Ashanti Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) committee that investigated the August 2026 protest at Obuasi Senior High Technical School found that teacher factions and student gangs are undermining discipline, staff cohesion, and the school’s administration. The report identified teacher groupings known as “Parliament”, “Caucus” and “Man never is”, alongside student groups called “4KT”, “Stitches” and “More than Family”. According to the committee, divisions among teachers have adversely affected working relationships and the school’s effective management.

“The Committee found that these divisions have adversely affected staff cohesion and the administration of the school,” the report stated. It noted that some members of the Caucus group, who had served at the school for several years, had consistently opposed aspects of the headmaster’s administration. The committee also raised concerns about the influence of student gangs, finding that the groups could encourage misconduct and threaten safety.

“The Committee found that these groupings have the potential to promote indiscipline, intimidation and violent behaviour among students,” it said. The findings emerged from an inquiry into disturbances on Tuesday, 4 August 2026, during which the headmaster was assaulted, and school and personal property were damaged. The unrest followed the discovery of what appeared to be the remains of a baby buried on the school compound.

The committee concluded that the school’s difficulties could not be attributed to a single incident or individual. Instead, it identified a combination of weak security, staff factionalism, resistance to administrative reforms, poor controls on student movement and a breakdown of trust within the school community. To address the divisions, the committee recommended the dissolution of informal student groups, including “4KT”, “Stitches”, “Old Blog” and “More than Family”.

It urged management to prevent the formation of similar groups that could undermine school authority, discipline and peaceful coexistence. The report also recommended that unauthorised staff associations be derecognised and appropriately managed to prevent them from becoming parallel centres of authority or influence. As part of efforts to rebuild professional relationships, the committee proposed a more spacious staff common room to encourage interaction w…

The Ashanti Regional Directorate of the Ghana Education Service (GES) committee that investigated the August 2026 disturbances at the Obuasi Senior High Technical School has identified political divisions among teachers as a factor affecting the school’s management. According to the report, internal management matters were sometimes reported to political offices in the community, amid wider divisions among staff and resistance to aspects of the headmaster’s administration. The committee recommended that the GES strengthen efforts to reduce partisan political activities and influence within educational institutions.