National Catholic Laity Council supports Bishops

Accra, Nov. 23, GNA - The National Catholic Laity Council - Ghana (NCLC) on Friday affirmed its support for the call by the Catholic Bishops Conference to review some aspects of the educational reform programme.

"We, the laity of the Catholic Church in Ghana, as parents and guardians who are eagerly seeking the holistic upbringing and education of children and youth in Ghana, make this statement in support of and in solidarity with our Bishops regarding the educational reforms." Sir Samuel Kofi Asubonteng, Executive Secretary of NCLC, briefing journalists on the issue said, the press statement released by the Bishops was with an informed position from the Laity of the Church who were not only parents, guardians and stakeholders but also professionals and practising educationists.

On November nine, the Catholic Bishop Conference issued a press release calling on the Government and the GES , among other things, for an immediate inclusion of Religion and Moral Education (RME) in the syllabus as a subject on its own and be given all the attention it deserved.

The Bishops argued that sidelining religion and morality from education was tantamount to condemning the human person to forego the means to developing himself/herself fully to be a human being in the society.

"The overwhelming advantage of imparting religious principles in our schools can simply not be equalled and it is these principles that can help negate the culture of vice and iniquity into which our society is being plunged deeper and deeper, even in the 50th anniversary of our independence," the Bishops asserted.

Sir Asubonteng said the Council was aware of the many meetings and consultations on the issue of Education, which the accredited Committee of the Catholic Church on Educational Reforms had had with the past and present Governments and the staff of the Ghana Education Service (GES). He said the issues raised by the Bishops were the same points that more parents throughout Ghana continued to worry and wonder about, and had in various ways made submissions to the GES.

"These areas of parental worry and concern have now been amplified by the Bishops who are partners with the State as far as formal education of the children and youth of Ghana is concerned," he said. Sir Asubonteng pointed out that when the issue of holistic educational reform was to be implemented, the aspect that concerns moral decadence and indiscipline could not be ignored.

"We are therefore, convinced that with the present affliction of indiscipline and moral decadence everywhere in our society and in our country Ghana, a positive action in the area of moral and religious education is indispensable for this nation to recover and restore the type of discipline which used to be the hallmark of the people," he said. Mr Dave Anane Druyeh, National Chairman of NCLC, said there was ample evidence to prove that when mission schools were in the hands of the churches morale was very high and urged those who thought otherwise to check their facts again and appreciate the impact of RME on the children.