The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has criticised the removal of its representative from the Ghana Education Service (GES) Council, arguing that the decision has weakened the Church’s participation in key education policy discussions.
The Conference said it remains Ghana’s second-largest provider of formal education but has increasingly been excluded from important decision-making platforms within the education sector.
President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, Most Rev. Matthew Gyamfi, raised the concern during an engagement with Parliament’s Chieftaincy, Culture and Religious Affairs Committee.
He questioned why the Church had been excluded from a body responsible for shaping education policy despite its long-standing contribution to the sector.
“Where decisions are made on education we who contributed towards education are not there. Now we talk about indiscipline in schools as if we do not know why there is indiscipline,” he said.
Most Rev. Gyamfi argued that the Church’s experience in promoting discipline and moral values could help address growing concerns about student indiscipline and immorality in Senior High Schools.
“If the one whose core is to instill discipline and morality into people is eliminated and not given the right to do this, then why ask why there is indiscipline and immorality in the schools?” he asked.
The Conference is therefore calling for greater inclusion of faith-based education providers in education policy and decision-making, particularly on issues affecting discipline and moral development in schools.
