Prof. Joseph Tufuor Kwarteng, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Business and Social Sciences Education, University of Cape Coast, has posited that he sees nothing wrong with the Basic 4 textbook, which outlines the adverse effects of missionary religions except to single out Christianity.
According to him, education is meant to teach students facts without regard to religious sentiments.
"Religion deals with faith, and every faith has its contentions, but most are not spoken about. We don't bring faith issues into education. Education deals with issues as they are", he shared.
Speaking on GBC Radio Central's Morning Show Tuesday, 30th May 2023, he averred that "I'm surprised we're fixated on the negatives, but just the preceding page of the textbook, it states the contributions of religion towards the development of Ghana, so why would we hammer only on the negatives and not the positives in the same book", he wondered.
The Curriculum and Instruction Scholar furthered that he sees nothing wrong with the points raised in the textbook except point two (Christianity has led to an increase in poverty; there is a direct link between religion and laziness which contributes to poverty in Ghana and Africa. Religion makes people lackadaisical in their attitude towards finding practical ways to improve their undesirable living conditions).
"Whatever has been written in the book, I think nothing is wrong with it, except point two of the disadvantages of religion that singles out Christianity. That could have been changed, and there wouldn't have been any problem", Prof. Kwarteng stated.
He contended that if we were to critically analyse what is written in the textbook, we would agree with its contents. Today Tuesdays, you can visit some churches, and people are all over praying, and the same is done through to Sunday.
"A little love, a little money. So, a little prayer, a little work, then, we can make progress. The Bible says whatever one does shall prosper. It means we need to do something with our hands. If we concentrate all our efforts on prayer, things won't get better", he said.
This conversation mentions Pastors since we are talking about Christianity. Some pastors normally encourage their flock to commit everything to God and prayer. "We need to give towards the building of the Church of God. Why is it that the God that gives does not build His church? You've to think about it scientifically. If you don't do anything, nothing happens".
"So, for that point, I don't personally see anything wrong with it, but to single out a particular religion is the problem. The book could have made a blanket statement that, that is how all religions are", Prof. Kwarteng intimated.
