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A lecturer at the Department of Communication Studies at the University of Ghana, Dr. Aurelia Ayisi, has called on journalists and stakeholders in the education sector to work together to address the growing problem of sexual corruption in schools. Speaking to journalists on the topic of gender-differentiated corruption at a training workshop held at the Coconut Grove Hotel in Accra, Dr. Ayisi emphasized the need for a multi-sectoral approach to tackling sexual corruption, noting that no single institution can address the issue alone. She stressed that the fight against sexual corruption must involve multiple stakeholders within the education sector — including ministries, schools, and the media — to ensure a systematic and sustainable response. According to her, the problem is not limited to individual misconduct but reflects a broader systemic challenge that demands institutional collaboration. “When it comes to sexual corruption, it’s a multi-sectoral problem. The Ministry of Education cannot singlehandedly get rid of it, journalists cannot deal with it alone, and institutions like secondary schools and universities also cannot handle the problem by themselves entirely. We need all the stakeholders within the education sector to come on board to deal with it systematically,” she said. Dr. Ayisi also underscored the importance of establishing clearly defined frameworks within educational institutions to regulate inappropriate relationships between lecturers and students. She highlighted the need for comprehensive training for teachers and lecturers to help them understand what constitutes sexual harassment and sexual corruption, noting that some individuals may engage in such behavior without fully realizing its implications. “In the same way, there has to be training for teachers to understand what constitutes sexual harassment and sexual corruption, because what we are made to understand is that some people perpetuate wrongdoing without knowing what they are doing is wrong,” she added. Dr. Ayisi further urged respect for human dignity and identity to guide every professional action, encouraging journalists not to stereotype or judge individuals whose actions are lawful and harmless. “If what anyone is doing doesn’t cause harm to anybody and it’s within the law, let them be; don’t stereotype against them,” she said. The initiative, led by the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA) and funded by the German Development Cooperation (GIZ), is part of the Participation, Accountability, Integrity for a Resilient Democracy (PAIReD) program. The project is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), co-financed by the European Union and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), and implemented in collaboration with Ghana’s Ministry of Finance. Source: a1radioonline.com|101.1|Gifty Eyram Kudiador|Accra
