An IT teacher from Sutton Coldfield Grammar School for Girls, Birmingham, has been banned from teaching following serious allegations of inappropriate conduct towards a female pupil. Nana Opong, aged 56, served as a computer science teacher at the school from 2019 until 2023. Reports indicate that he made several inappropriate remarks to a student, including stating that he loved her "childlike qualities" and insisting on keeping photographs of her against her wishes.
During his tenure, Opong allegedly told the pupil that she was "beautiful" and "amazing," while expressing admiration for her interests in "cuddly toys" and Disney films. In an alarming instance, he described his fondness for these qualities, stating, “I will never get bored of you. However, I know like a beautiful butterfly, you will one day fly away and rightly so. We are just at the wrong/opposite side of the spectrum.”
The issues escalated when Opong requested the pupil to send him photographs and insisted that he would not delete them, claiming, “They make me happy. Very lovely pics. I wouldn’t delete them.” The investigation revealed that he had also sent her a survey with personal questions, including inquiries about what made her feel relaxed.
The situation intensified as Opong attempted to cover up his communications with the pupil, advising her to "delete everything" to avoid getting into trouble. He even threatened her with the comment that he would “throw eggs at her window” if she attempted to blackmail him regarding their exchanges.
The matter came to light after the pupil disclosed the inappropriate behaviour, not through any initiative from Opong. In response, the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) issued a decision prohibiting him from teaching indefinitely. Marc Cavey, the TRA decision maker, noted that Opong’s conduct was “targeted at a single pupil,” multi-faceted, and critically, highly personal and improper in nature.
Cavey further indicated that although Opong showed some regret, he believed certain aspects of the concerns raised were "exaggerated and false," leading the panel to conclude that there was a potential risk of him repeating such behaviour if allowed to continue teaching.
As a result of these findings, Mr Opong is now banned from teaching in any school, sixth form college, relevant youth accommodation, or children’s home across England.
Source: Noah Wire Services