SDA opens conference for educators

Accra, July 15, GNA - About 100 Educators of Seventh-Day Adventists institutions in the country are attending a conference in Accra to deliberate on indiscipline and overcrowding in schools; funding of education and the spread of HIV/AIDS pandemic.

The conference under the theme: "Making Adventist Education Count in Ghana" would update the participants on effective teaching, learning and leadership strategies that would ensure quality academic programmes infused with moral training in the church's educational institutions. It is being organized by the Ghana Union Conference of SDA in collaboration with the Valley View University and the Western Africa Division of the Church.

The Reverend Ama Afo Blay, Director General of the Ghana Education Service (GES), in a speech read for her by Mrs Sarah Agyemeng-Duah, a Director at GES, called on the participants to critically examine issues affecting the educational sector and come out with realistic strategies to promote quality education.

She said the Ministry of Education and the GES attached importance to the vital role churches played in infusing sound moral principles and practices needed for the development of children.

Rev. Afo Blay said the government in its determination to achieve quality education at all levels, had been facing challenges that called for the involvement of all.

Professor Chimela Ikonne, Education Director, Western Africa Division of the SDA Church, said the church considered education as an indispensable means of harmoniously developing the mental, physical, social and spiritual powers God had given to humans. He said this was why a conference was being organized for educators in various fields of specialisation to develop appropriate educational programmes to contribute significantly, towards the achievement of higher academic standards.

Prof. Ikonne said the SDA at present has a worldwide education system comprising over 6,000 institutions, 54,000 educators, 1.1 million students, 110 colleges and universities with 11 being in Africa, including Ghana.

The Rev Dr Seth Laryea, President of Valley View University, announced that a three-member team from the Church's headquarters in USA was in the country as part of a three-nation tour to explore where best they could locate a Post-graduate institution, which the Church wanted to establish in Africa.

He said the team, led by Dr Gary Karst, Vice President, General Conference of the SDA church, would leave Ghana for Kenya and South Africa.

He said a location would be chosen on basis of political stability, availability of land, government's policy towards private universities and the cost of living in a particular country, among other things. Rev. Laryea said courses to be studied at the post-graduate institution would include, Business Administration, Information Technology and Medicine for Masters, Doctorate and Post-Doctorate degrees. Pastor Peter Osei Mensah, President of the Ghana Union Conference, SDA, said the principled doctrines observed at the church's educational institutions make them unique and they were not prepared to "compromise on them at all". Pastor Mensah said the SDA believes in modesty and humility and that was why it continued to insist that its students, including those at the university level, conformed to certain standards and dress codes.