Move to hand over mission schools

THE government has begun shedding some control of the mission schools as a first step in the process to hand over such schools to religious organisations.

Consequently, the religious groups have taken over disciplinary issues and the provision of some infrastructures in the mission schools.

The Minister of Education, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, who disclosed this in an interview in Accra, said the government will continue to pay salaries of staff and supply textbooks to such schools until a firm decision is taken on handing over the mission schools to the religious organisations.

He said the shedding of control of the schools has been done to test the preparedness of the religious groups to take total control of the mission schools.

“Government believes that this first step will strengthen the hands of the religious bodies to better handle the schools when a decision is finalised on the handing over of the mission schools,” he said.

Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi said due to the complexity of the issue, there is the need for the government to critically examine the readiness of the religious bodies, adding that, “the debate on the proposals from the religious bodies is still on, and the right decision will be taken at the right time in the interest of the country”.

He said although some control has been shed to the religious groups, disciplinary action against students will have to be approved by the district directors of the Ghana Education Service (GES) to ensure that such actions conform to the rules and regulations of the service.

Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi said the government is appreciative of the role being played by the religious groups particularly with the provision of infrastructures and urged them to continue with the partnership with government to provide quality education to children of school-going age.

He said although some religious bodies may be financially ready to administer the schools, the issue must be thoroughly discussed by all stakeholders.

“Let us all study the matter critically so that when it takes off, there would not be any flaws that would compel government to rescind its decision,” he said.

Professor Ameyaw-Akumfi asked the religious bodies to continue to assist the government to ensure that discipline is further improved while the provision of infrastructures for the schools and other pertinent issues are handled properly.

Last week, the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, the Rt Reverend Dr Sam Prempeh, asked religious groups to critically examine their preparedness to manage missions schools, should they be handed over to them by the government.

He said although the proposals by the religious bodies are very relevant, issues such as finance, personnel and supervision are critical issues that need to be seriously considered to enable them handle the schools more effectively and efficiently.

Reverend Prempeh said the role of religious bodies in education cannot be downplayed, saying, “The colonial administrators were, indeed, full of praise for quality education provided by the mission schools”.