GNAT Threatens WASSCE Boycott Over Detained Nyinahin SHS Teacher
The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) in the Ashanti Region has threatened to boycott the English Language paper of the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE) and stage protests if a colleague teacher, Eric Buernortey Apaflo, is not released from police custody.
Mr Apaflo, who works as a hostel caretaker at Nyinahin Catholic Senior High School in the Atwima Mponua District, was detained following an incident involving a final-year female student. According to GNAT, the teacher has remained in custody since his arrest, a situation the association says raises serious concerns about due process and how the case is being handled by authorities.
The ultimatum, delivered at the Nyinahin Police Station, puts thousands of final-year students at risk of missing a critical examination paper. GNAT officials warned that if the teacher is not granted bail by today, the association will direct teachers at Nyinahin Catholic SHS and across the district to boycott the WASSCE English Language paper.
“Should the teacher not be granted bail by tomorrow, GNAT Ashanti Region will be compelled to direct teachers of Nyinahin Catholic SHS and all teachers in the district to boycott the ongoing WASSCE examinations. If the students do not write the English Language, nobody should be blamed,” a GNAT official told journalists.
The dispute has exposed tensions between law enforcement and the teaching profession over the treatment of educators accused of misconduct. GNAT insists the teacher has done nothing wrong and alleges that an “order from above” has prevented his release on bail, bypassing normal investigative procedures.
“The teacher has done nothing wrong, but we have heard an order from above has been authorized that he is not granted bail instead of them to come down and investigate the matter thoroughly,” the association stated.
The case echoes broader concerns about safeguarding in Ghana’s senior high schools. Education advocacy group Eduwatch recently called for stronger safeguarding measures at the same school following a separate alleged assault of an 18-year-old female student, highlighting a pattern of incidents that demands systemic intervention.
GNAT has indicated that if its concerns are not addressed, teachers would escalate their action by wearing red armbands and embarking on protest marches. The association stressed that while it remains committed to discipline in schools and the welfare of teachers, it expects authorities to act promptly to prevent further escalation.
“Once it has happened to someone, it can happen to everybody tomorrow. Touch one, touch all,” a GNAT official said, adding that investigations have revealed the student involved is remorseful and has been seeking forgiveness.
The threatened boycott comes at a particularly sensitive time for the education sector, with the government having recently celebrated improvements in school operations under the Free SHS programme. Any disruption to WASSCE examinations would affect the prospects of thousands of students awaiting results for university admission.
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