The Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT) has spoken against the way and manner Mrs Grace Ansah Otu, Headmistress of Aburi Girls Secondary School (Abugis) was asked to proceed on leave by Mr Alex Tetey Enyo, Director- General of the Ghana Education service recently, reports The Daily Guide.

The Aburi Girls Headmistress was directed to proceed on leave following the alleged sexual abuse of 17 students of Aburi Girls Secondary by the School's mathematics master.

A statement signed by Mr Paul Osei-Mensah, General Secretary of the GNAT disagreed with the interdiction of the school's headmistress on the grounds that since there has not been any prima facie case of negligence established against Mrs Grace Ansah Out, it was wrong to interdict or ask her to proceed on leave.

The statement reminded the GES that heads of institutions are public officers and as such controlled and governed by the relevant laws, rules and regulations as well as the existing norms and conventions applicable to public officers generally.

In the candid opinion of the GNAT the action taken against the headmistress does not conform to the tenets of social justice.

To ensure the spirit of fairness therefore, the GNAT advised that the sanction invoked against the Aburi Girls headmistress should be reversed.

The GNAT General Secretary said the manner in which Mrs Ansah Otu was asked to proceed on leave raises a lot of questions, stressing that the interdiction of the Abugis headmistress without recourse to the existing norms and conventions, was rather disturbing and unjustifiable.