The Ghana Education Service (GES) has called for stronger collaboration with faith-based education providers to advance a holistic approach to education and improve learning outcomes across the country.
The Director-General of the GES, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, said effective education required the collective efforts of government, faith-based institutions and other stakeholders to equip learners with the competencies and values needed to contribute meaningfully to society.
He made the call at the opening of the 52nd Annual Conference of the Conference of Managers of Education Units (COMEU) in Takoradi.
The conference, held on the theme “Faith-based Education in the 21st Century: Challenges, Opportunities and the Way Forward,” brought together faith-based education administrators, education directors and other stakeholders to deliberate on ways to strengthen mission schools.
Prof. Davis said Ghana’s education system needed to go beyond academic performance and focus on developing learners’ knowledge, skills, attitudes and values.
“If we want to inform and transform our students, then we need a holistic education that equips them with knowledge, skills, attitudes, and values to empower them to use their education to transform society.”
He urged faith-based education institutions to play a leading role in developing appropriate values and attitudes among students, saying such qualities were essential to building a responsible citizenry.
The GES Director-General noted that government had already begun integrating ethics and values education into the curriculum as part of efforts to prepare learners for the demands of the 21st century.
He encouraged COMEU to use the conference to generate practical solutions, share experiences and strengthen its collective commitment to improving the quality of education.
COMEU seeks action on partnership agreement
The National President of COMEU, Reverend Thomas Kofi Arboh, reaffirmed the organisation’s commitment to working with government and other stakeholders to create learning environments that promote character, values and positive attitudes.
He, however, called on the government to sign and implement its partnership agreement with faith-based institutions, arguing that this would help improve their operations and contribution to education.
Rev. Arboh said a stronger formal partnership would provide a better framework for faith-based institutions to support the delivery of quality education.
Meanwhile, the Western Regional Minister, Mr Joseph Nelson, commended COMEU for convening the conference and expressed confidence that its discussions would produce practical and actionable recommendations.
He said such recommendations could help strengthen faith-based education while contributing to the broader transformation of Ghana’s education system.
