By Emmanuel Nyatsikor, GNA
Ho, Jan 29, GNA – Right Rev. Dr. Lt. Col. Bliss Divine Kofi Agbeko (rtd), Moderator of the General Assembly of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Ghana (EPCG) Thursday called on government to maintain the status quo of mission schools.
He said this would allow them to preserve their religious identity and autonomy.
Rt Rev Agbeko made the call in a release copied to the Ghana News Agency in Ho.
“Churches should be allowed to operate their schools according to their faith because even before independence they established their schools,” he noted.
The Moderator stated that the recommendations by the Constitution Review Committee that participation in religious observance was voluntary and that students opted out without penalty, that admissions, discipline, academic opportunity and compulsory school activities were conducted on neutral and non-discriminatory terms was a problem.
He said this would lead to loss of moral guidance, decline in discipline, erosion of values, identity crisis, parental dissatisfaction and cultural dilution.
Rt Rev Agbeko was of the view that there were ten key reasons that students admitted to mission schools should compulsorily observe the doctrines of the churches.
He mentioned them as foundational values, parental choices, holistic development, community commitment and respect for tradition.
The others, the Moderator, said were moral guidance, part of agreement, cultural preservation, balanced environment and expectation of clarity.
He noted that Mawuli, St. Augustine’s and Presbyterian Boys Senior High Schools among others were founded on specific Christian principles, so parents chose those schools for their values.
Right Rev Agbeko stated that mission schools complemented the academic work of their students with their spiritual growth.
He said as students represented their schools, their adhering to doctrines of such schools showed commitment, respect for traditions and loyalty.
The Moderator said that doctrines of churches provided framework for ethical decisions and preserved the school’s cultural heritage.
He said enrollment implied agreement to follow school rules and that compulsory observance ensured faith and learning coexisted and helped students to focus.
Rt Rev Agbeko reiterated the concerns of both the Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference that government funding of mission schools did not equate to state ownership or control adding, “mission schools should be allowed to maintain their Christian ethos.”
He stated that the Memorandum of Understanding on Managing Religious Diversity in Mission Schools launched in 2024 provided a framework for balancing the rights of students with the religious identity of mission schools.
The Moderator said any attempt to permit students in faith-based institutions to voluntarily participate in activities of the school would promote indiscipline and decline in academic work.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Benjamin Mensah