The Catholic Bishops Conference has asked government to continue funding activities of mission schools even after handing over to the church.
Even though the Conference has declared its preparedness to take over the management of mission schools, it is insisting government should take up the responsibility of funding the schools’ activities.
This position seems to be the point of disagreement between government and the Conference.
Speaking to Citi News, the President of the Conference, Archbishop Philip Naameh explained that the Conference’s call is borne out of a desire to address the deteriorating state of discipline and values in these schools, which they say is a cause for worry.
“The handing over is a question of effective management which is not the case as at now. The churches cannot discipline teachers who are in the school. Teachers can come early morning drunk. The churches do not have the power as at now, even though we are involved in education to sack those teachers.”
“This will not be the case when the handing over is done …churches don’t even have the right to come up with a syllabus which is not approved by the government so the education policy is still government but when it comes to the implementation, that is where the churches will be given a more free hand but funding of education will still be the responsibility of government because they collect taxes. If government has a policy to make education more affordable to Ghanaian children why should those attending mission schools be exempted? We are only happy that at least the government is open to the idea but the announcement alone that they will hand over schools to the mission does not give any date.”
Government to hand over mission schools – Matthew Opoku Prempeh
The Minister of Education, Matthew Opoku Prempeh had earlier indicated government’s preparedness to hand over mission schools to religious bodies.
He indicated that the return of the mission schools to its former owners is a pledge by the New Patriotic Party (NPP) that should be fulfilled.
Various religious groups, including the Christian Council of Ghana have for some time now been calling for the reversal of a 1984 take-over of their schools which was basically set up to provide Christian education.
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