The Chairman, Dr. Ing. Kenneth Ashigbey, the Guest Speaker, Mr. Joseph Connel, the Headmaster, Mr. Henry Arthur-Gyan, the President of APSU, Dr. Ernest Anthony Osei, APSUnians, distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, the discussion on the enhancement of quality education in Ghana is long overdue. However, it is better late than never; and so, I wish to thank the organizers of this 90th anniversary lecture.
Our Guest Speaker has ably addressed the role alumni can play in enhancing quality education in Ghana. My task this evening is to elaborate on “The Catholic Church’s Position on the Enhancement of Quality Education in Ghana”.
OUTLINE
- Philosophy of Catholic education
- Quality education
- Enhancement of quality education in Ghana
- Conclusion
- PHILOSOPHY OF CATHOLIC EDUCATION
Catholic education has its roots in the almost 2,000-year-old great commission of Jesus Christ: “Go therefore make disciples of all the nations …and [teach] them to obey everything that I have commanded you” (Matt. 28:19-20). Therefore, Catholic education cannot but have spiritual and moral dimensions.
1.1 Teaching the Whole Person
The philosophy of Catholic education, which was espoused by St. Augustine and other great Catholic philosophers/theologians, was derived from the fact that the human person is both body and soul. Hence, education must be holistic to cover all aspects of the physical and spiritual dimensions of the person. Therefore, the Catholic Church “establishes her own schools because she considers them a privileged means of promoting the formation of the whole man” (Congregation for Catholic Education, The Catholic School, 1977, #8). That is, besides the physical, intellectual, technical (including ICT, AI, etc.), socio-cultural and practical aspects of schooling, Catholic education, which is more holistic, includes the moral and spiritual dimensions of human development.
1.2 Religious Formation in the Catholic School
“The special character of the Catholic school and the underlying reason for its existence, … is precisely the quality of the religious instruction integrated into the overall education of the students” (Congregation for Catholic Education, The Religious Dimension of Education in the Catholic School, 1988, # 66), so that the student may experience the transforming power of the Gospel in an integral way.
- QUALITY EDUCATION
In line with her philosophy, the Catholic Church understands quality education as the teaching-and-learning experience which leads to the integral development of the learners as persons who are endowed with both body and soul.
Unfortunately, there are concepts or definitions of quality education which ignore the fact that the human person is both body and soul. In other words, unlike the philosophy of Catholic education, these definitions focus on the bodily dimensions of the person to the neglect of the soul. This is educational kwashiorkor! That is, the outcome of such definitions of education is like a kwashiorkor child who, though appears to be overfed, is actually malnourished.
Furthermore, as a body without the soul is dead, so any attempt at quality education without the spiritual and moral dimensions is a mirage. Sadly, though, in the history of our country, such deficient definitions of quality education have sometimes been the basis for national educational policies and administration. Whoever promotes an agenda which is contrary to the Christ-rooted and centuries-tested Catholic education does not only deny the current learners of integral development but destroys the very moral foundation of society for generations to come. This is already evident in the West where the cancer of LGBTQ++ is gradually destroying the society.
- ENHANCEMENT OF QUALITY EDUCATION IN GHANA
In March, 2025, the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference will organize a National Catholic Education Forum. Proposals for government policy changes and the Church’s plan of action for enhancing quality education in Ghana will be publicized by the Conference after the forum. In the meantime, considering the fact that quality education in Ghana is below par and that the nature of the Church-State partnership in education has been deteriorating for a few decades now, I wish to highlight a few areas of the Church’s thought on the enhancement of quality education in Ghana.
Firstly, the Government and its agencies (i.e., the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service) should foster genuine stakeholders’ consultations with the Catholic Church, other religious bodies, traditional leaders, associations of teachers, parents, alumni, etc.
Secondly, there should be a consensus-building among all stakeholders on a general concept of quality education for all schools in Ghana.
Thirdly, the contributions of alumni in the development of various schools should be formally acknowledged by the agencies of Government; and the former should be given adequate space in the consultation processes for quality education.
Fourthly, the Catholic Church should be given adequate space to implement her concept of quality education in her schools. In this respect, the Catholic Church should be given more room to train and appoint staff and management for her schools. Furthermore, Catholic students should be given the priority for admissions to Catholic schools. (This fourth point could apply to other faith-based schools.)
CONCLUSION
Education is not just a pillar of a society but its very foundation. And as the quality of the foundation of a building determines its stability, durability, fit-for-purpose, etc., so is the quality of education to a society or nation. Unfortunately, in recent decades, Ghana – thanks to its political leaders – has toyed with the quality of her education.
Therefore, now more than ever, the Government and its agencies (i.e., the Ministry of Education and Ghana Education Service), should sincerely collaborate with the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, other religious bodies, traditional leaders, associations of teachers, parents, alumni, learners, etc. so that national policies, administrative procedures, etc. are reviewed to ensure that learners always benefit from a quality of education which is truly holistic and nation-building in nature.
On this note, I wish my fellow APSUnians a happy 90th anniversary!
Long live APSU!
Long live St. Augustine’s College!
Long live Catholic education in Ghana!
Long live quality education in Ghana!
Address by the Most Rev. John Kobina Louis, DD, PHD, Auxiliary Bishop Of Accra Archdiocese As Special Guest At APSU 90th Anniversary Lecture At Christ The King Parish Hall, Accra On 28th August, 2024
