President John Mahama has strongly condemned recent attacks on teachers across the country, describing such acts as criminal and unacceptable.
He expressed particular concern about the handling of a widely reported assault case involving students of Kade Senior High School.
The President made these remarks while addressing delegates at the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) Conference, where he referenced a viral video from October 2025 showing students physically assaulting a mathematics teacher. The teacher was reportedly attacked after preventing students from cheating during an examination.
President Mahama said he was deeply disappointed that although the incident was reported to the police, the case did not result in formal disciplinary or legal action after the students’ parents reached an out-of-court settlement with the teacher.
He questioned the decision to treat what he described as a clear criminal offence as a private matter.
“I saw the video of the Maths teacher being beaten because he refused to allow students to cheat, and they acted with a sense of entitlement,” the President said. “The unfortunate thing is that the case went to the police, and it was said to have been settled amicably. This is assault. It is criminal.”
He criticised the reliance on financial compensation as a substitute for justice, arguing that such an approach fails to deter future acts of violence against teachers.
According to President Mahama, even if the teacher later declined to pursue charges, the students should still have been subjected to the legal process.
“At the very least, the students should have been formally booked and bonded to be of good behaviour for a period. That is how we show that justice has been done,” he stated.
President Mahama concluded by reaffirming his support for teachers and pledging firm action against assaults in schools.
“As for attacks on teachers, I stand with you 100 per cent. We will deal with it,” he assured.
