The Catholic Bishop of Sunyani, Most Reverend Matthew Gyamfi, has said any attempt to relegate the Christian missions to the background in the management of the country’s education could prove disastrous.
He said it was important policy makers ensured that such missions played a vital role in any education reforms.
“Not only should they retain the educational units, but they should in addition give the units more freedom and resources to continue to play their irreplaceable roles of providing holistic education to the nation’s youth.”
Bishop Gyamfi was addressing the 35th annual Conference of Managers of Catholic Education Unit in Kumasi.
“Catholic education: A credible option for self realization” was the theme.
He said it was not possible for any person or group to come up with any reason as to why the Christian missions could be removed from the education system.
It should not be lost on anyone that “the human being by nature yearns for a holistic or integral formation that enables him or her to achieve his or her spiritual, physical and social aspirations”, he added.
Bishop Gyamfi said education should help people to uphold values of social self-discipline, tolerance, forgiveness, hope and faith in God.
“Removing religious education from the curriculum therefore, is tantamount to taking away the soul or spirit of the child from the body”, he added.
Bishop Gyamfi commended the Managers for effective administration of the Catholic schools despite the challenging conditions under which they operated.