Africa Education Watch has petitioned the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) to probe what it refers to as an alleged case of misconduct and blatant breach of COVID-19 protocols at the St. Monica’s College of Education of the Asante-Mampong Diocese in the Ashanti Region.
The education think tank in a statement said, “we refer to an earlier forwarded viral video alleged to contain disturbing scenes from St Monica’s College of Education, in which one Father Balthazar Obeng Larbi is allegedly forcibly kissing some students under the guise of a religious ritual.”
It argued that the alleged act is in blatant disregard of established COVID-19 protocols and the perpetrator should have rather enforced adherence to COVID protocols.
“We are by this letter petitioning your office to conduct an external investigation into the conduct of Father Balthazar Obeng Larbi and sanction appropriately while pronouncing on whether or not the practice of kissing students in public is acceptable conduct in a tertiary institution.”
Social media users are incensed over the trending video that shows a religious leader forcefully kissing some female teacher trainees while he stood at a podium.
Rev. Fr Baltharzar Obeng Larbi of the St. Monica’s College of Education, fully dressed in his cassock, was seen kissing some girls who were on stage with him.
In one instance, he was seen gesturing to one of the girls, who appeared very uncomfortable, to take off her face mask before holding her head and giving her a kiss on the lips.
The video, shot by someone in the audience, has generated wide condemnation on social media, although a few people have jumped to the priest’s defence, describing his action as a ‘holy kiss’.
The Anglican Church, which runs the St. Monica’s College of Education, Mampong, says it is investigating the issue.
Below is the full statement;
