CSE: 'You can't run away from your mess' – Minority to gov't

The Minority in Parliament has said the Akufo-Addo government actually intended implementing the controversial Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) at the basic school levels.

Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu, at a press conference on Friday, 4 October 2019, said the funding for that project featured in the 2019 budget statement presented to Parliament by Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta.

Mr Iddrisu said the government cannot extricate itself from this issue because it was captured in the budget although the CSE has been suspended.

“Interestingly, the Minister of Education has forgotten that in the 2019 budget statement presented to Parliament by the Finance Minister, the Comprehensive Sexuality Education featured prominently. So, ‘you cannot run away from this mess’ is our message to the President and his ministers,” the Minority Leader stated.

Meanwhile, the Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) has commended the government for suspending the implementation of the controversial programme in basic schools but said a “mere suspension” is not enough.

At a press conference addressed by its Chairman, Rev Professor Frimpong-Manso, the GPCC said on Thursday, 3 October 2019 that: “We have observed with great satisfaction the overwhelming rejection by many Ghanaians [of] this unfortunate and dangerous policy proposals that have the potential to threaten and erode our long-held traditional family value system that has served us well and continue to do”.

“We have also followed with keen interest government’s latest response through the Minister of Education, including the promise not to implement the controversial policy, in spite of its earlier denial of the existence of such a policy.

“While commending government on its latest decision to suspend the implementation of the CSE policy next academic year, we, as a Council, are, however, not persuaded by a mere suspension, as evidence abound of existing government commitments to some international obligations on CSE, some of which have even been captured in the 2019 Budget Statement as presented to Parliament by the Minister of Finance.

“It is gratifying to note that we (Ghanaians) are not alone in opposition to this unpopular global move by some western countries hiding behind some United Nations Agencies and international NGOs to gradually introduce liberal education targeting children in vulnerable countries, including Ghana. Recently, churches and parents in Canada and other western countries have forced their governments to back down on the implementation of CSE.”

He added: “In the spirit of accountable, transparent and participatory governance in a peaceful environment, Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council (GPCC) wishes to put forward the following recommendations toward an acceptable and permanent resolution to this controversy: The government should be transparent with the people of Ghana by publicly committing to completely withdrawing this policy instead of a mere assurance of suspension of implementation. This move, we believe, would engender trust between the government and key stakeholders of our educational system. This is mutual trust is currently missing and must be pursued now.”