Religious Bodies insist on right to manage mission schools.

Kumasi, Sept.6, GNA -The conference of Managers of Educational Units (COMEU) has made it clear that religious bodies were neither asking for, nor demanding the handing over of mission schools back to them, as was being perceived in certain quarters.

The Very Reverend Dr Richard Foli, National President of the COMEU, who made the statement said, rather, the religious bodies were persistently calling for their right in the management and supervision of their schools in the public system, in partnership with government.

Rev. Dr Foli made the statement when he addressed the opening session of the 30the Annual Conference of Managers of Educational Units, in Kumasi on Monday, being held under the theme: "Improving academic performance in School "The Role of Education Units."

The COMEU comprises 10 Religious Educational Units and the Educational Unit of the Ghana Armed Forces and the Police Service.

The five-day conference, which is being attended by 92 General and Regional Managers of the various educational units as well as directors of educational units Armed Forces and police service, is designed to take stock of activities of the COMEU during the year under review, and prepare for the challenges in the ensuing year.

Rev. Dr Foli said religious bodies would continue to stress that educational partnership, "epitomised by the educational unit system, should not only be maintained, but also improved upon to ensure quality education delivery, and discipline".

He was emphatic that irrespective of the misgivings about the education units by some section of society, it is indisputable fact that they are indispensable, and indeed synonymous to quality education. Rev. Dr Foli noted that the best results of the 2003 Senior Secondary School Certificate (SSSC) examinations, came from mission schools, an indication that such schools were better managed and run.

"The achievement, will obviously confound those behind the call for abolition of educational units", he added.

In an address read for him, Mr S.K. Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister said the government, through the Ghana Education Trust Fund (GETFUND) and the District Assembly common fund, had put in place necessary educational infrastructure and that such facilities alone cannot turn out excellent students without the positive contribution of managers of schools.

Mr Boafo therefore, entreated managers of educational units, to devise strategies that would help students take advantage of the conducive environment and educational infrastructure, to improve upon their academic performance.