Sexual harassment poses greatest threat to academic freedom in Ghanaian universities, report warns

Ghana's universities face significant challenges despite continental progress

Sexual harassment has been identified as the most serious threat to academic freedom in Ghana's tertiary institutions, according to the 2025 Africa Academic Freedom Monitoring Report released by the African Coalition for Academic Freedom (ACAF). The report, launched at the Centre for Democratic Development in Accra, assessed academic freedom across 30 African countries and revealed widespread violations undermining teaching, learning, and research on the continent.

Professor Kwadwo Appiagyei-Atua, ACAF's Regional Director, highlighted that the report recorded a concerning violation score of 72 out of 100 across assessed nations. He noted that female students particularly face pressure from some academics who demand sexual favours in exchange for marks or other academic rewards—a practice that often goes unreported due to fear and institutional barriers.

Ghana performs comparatively better than many African peers on academic freedom measures, Professor Appiagyei-Atua said, but warned against complacency. He stressed that violations occur not only from government interference but also within university spaces, perpetrated by management and academics themselves. "There are several violations that take place," he explained, calling for stronger institutional safeguards and effective reporting mechanisms.

The National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) pledged its commitment to tackling these issues. National Secretary Titus Owusu Darko stated that NUGS, representing over 13.5 million Ghanaian students at home and abroad, is prepared to collaborate with the ACAF, tertiary institutions, and civil society organisations to combat sexual harassment and protect student rights.

Stakeholders at the launch called for stronger policies, increased accountability, and sustained partnership between government, universities, student bodies, and civil society organisations to create safer learning environments and truly safeguard academic freedom across Ghana's higher education sector.