Education Ministry: Sexual harassment has no place in Ghana’s tertiary institutions
Deputy Director of the Tertiary Directorate at the Ministry of Education, Harriet Krakani, has stressed that sexual harassment must not be tolerated in Ghana’s educational institutions.
She called on tertiary institutions to strengthen systems for preventing and reporting sexual harassment, while ensuring that survivors and other affected individuals receive appropriate support and protection.
Ms Krakani made the call at a multi-tertiary stakeholder conference in Accra focused on improving survivor-centred approaches to preventing and responding to sexual harassment on university campuses.
The conference, organised by the Perfector of Sentiments (POS) Foundation and Amplify Change, was held under the theme, “From Policy to Practice: Strengthening Survivor-Centred Sexual Harassment Prevention and Response in Tertiary Institutions.”
Representatives from the University of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, University of Cape Coast, University of Education, Winneba, and University for Development Studies participated in the event.
Ms Krakani said sexual harassment damages people’s dignity and well-being, disrupts the educational experience and can undermine public confidence in academic institutions.
She noted that institutional efforts must not focus solely on responding to incidents after they occur but should create environments where harassment is actively prevented, reports are encouraged, survivors are treated with dignity and confidentiality, and perpetrators are held accountable.
According to her, having policies in place is only the first step, as their success ultimately depends on effective implementation and the availability of accessible reporting, support and referral mechanisms.
She said the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) had developed guidelines to help tertiary institutions establish effective anti-sexual harassment policies covering prevention, reporting, response, protection and enforcement.
Ms Krakani said the government, through the Ministry of Education and its agencies, remained committed to creating safer and more inclusive tertiary institutions.
She welcomed the survivor-centred approach promoted by the conference, explaining that it prioritises the safety, dignity, needs and choices of survivors. She stressed the importance of protecting confidentiality and ensuring that institutional procedures do not expose survivors to further harm, stigma or victimisation.
She also highlighted interventions such as cooperation among Gender Centres, counselling units and student leaders, as well as training for first responders and campus human rights defenders.
Ms Krakani urged tertiary institutions to take ownership of these initiatives and incorporate effective prevention and response systems into their structures. She also called for sustainable mechanisms that would continue operating beyond individual projects.
She stressed that policies must be translated into clear and accessible procedures that students and staff can understand and use.
“No student should have to compromise personal safety in pursuit of academic opportunity, and no faculty or staff should work in an environment where harassment and intimidation is tolerated,” she said.
The ministry official further encouraged students, staff and institutional authorities to work together to improve awareness, accountability and enforcement of sexual harassment policies.
Executive Director of the POS Foundation, Jonathan Osei Owusu, said research conducted by the organisation had found cohabitation to be common in many universities, noting its association with physical abuse, harm and loss of lives.
Communication and Gender Specialist Mercy Catherine Adjabeng, meanwhile, said society often tacitly condoned sexual harassment and argued that public attitudes and conversations surrounding the issue did not reflect sufficient seriousness.
She noted that individuals who speak openly about sexual harassment are sometimes accused of going too far, highlighting the need for a stronger societal commitment to addressing the problem.
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