The Most Rev. Julien Kabore, Apostolic Nuncio to Ghana, has urged parents to be involved in the education of their children since education begins from the ‘Domestic Church’ which is the family.
“Catholic education, however, begins in the “domestic church,” as the primary responsibility for education rests with parents and the family, who must be supported by the community,” the Nuncio said in a message at the opening of the 2nd National Catholic Education Forum at Koforidua on Tuesday, March 11, 2025.
The five-day Forum from March 10 to 15, 2025 is on the theme: Catholic Education for Integral Development; Shaping a Resilient and an Inclusive Ghana. It is being attended by the various stakeholders in education including Heads of High Institutions, Rectors of Seminaries, Professors, General, Regional and Local Managers, Principals of Catholic Colleges of Education, Catholic Teachers and Teacher Trainees.
The Nuncio stated that the Church is bound, as a mother to offer her children, education infused with the spirit of Christ while promoting the perfection of human person, the common good for society, regardless of race, religion or social background.
According to him, since Catholic means Universal, Catholic education could be addressed as education without borders, that is education to all.
He urged Catholic schools to be welcoming to the poor because education was not only for the rich. Saying, “If Catholics are to lose their connections with the poor, they will lose their calling.”
Catholic education, therefore, he said was a safe space for our children, urging all Catholic parents to enrol their children in Catholic schools as stated in the Second Vatican Council declaration, Gravissimum Educationis: “parents, who possess the primary and inalienable right and duty to educate their children, must enjoy true freedom in choosing schools for their children.”
Archbishop Kabore advised parents to correct their children with patience and be merciful and to the Catholic educators, he admonished them to offer the best education that is holistic education.
According to him, “public authorities, who are tasked with protecting the rights of citizens, must ensure that public subsidies are allocated in such a way that parents are genuinely free to choose, according to their conscience, the schools they wish for their children.”
He noted that the “Church highly esteems civil authorities and societies that, recognizing the pluralism of contemporary society and respecting religious freedom, assist families in ensuring that the education imparted to their children in all schools aligns with the moral and religious principles of the family.” With this approach, the Nuncio said it was no surprise that Catholic schools could achieve such outstanding results.
He reiterated that Catholic schools’ aim was to provide a well-rounded education that nurtures the whole person, above all calling students to holiness, meaning to a certain perfection of life.
“This calling extends even to the many non-Catholic students attending Catholic schools in Ghana, he stated, saying, “Non-Catholic students in Catholic schools serve as a constant reminder of the broader world beyond the school, and it is only fitting that respect and friendship for those of other religious traditions should be among the virtues cultivated in a Catholic education.”
The Nuncio hoped that “These Non-Catholic students, having benefited from the values and insights they received through their Christian education, will share them with society at large.”
“As Apostolic Nuncio in Ghana, it brings me great satisfaction to observe that the cordial relations between the Republic of Ghana and the Holy See have been consistently maintained and further strengthened since the establishment of diplomatic relations on 14 June 1976,” he indicated.
He added: “From the very beginning of my mission in Ghana, I was particularly pleased to hear, from the highest authorities and reliable sources, that the involvement and contributions of the Catholic Church -through its vast network of institutions and structures, especially in the field of social services such as education-are deeply valued and appreciated.”
Notable dignitaries and participants present at the Forum were the Most Rev. Joseph Afrifah-Agyekum, Bishop of Koforidua and Episcopal Chairman of Education; the Most Rev. Matthew Gyamfi, Bishop of Sunyani and President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference (GCBC); the Most Rev. Emmanuel K. Fianu, Bishop of the Diocese of Ho and Vice President of the GCBC; Hon. Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, Eastern Regional Minister; Prof. Ernest Kofi Davis, Director General, Ghana Education Service, members of the Association of Catholic Heads of Higher Institutions, students from the Pope John’s Senior High School.
In her address, Hon. Awatey in her address, stated that a good system of education should foster collaboration among educators, students and community members to create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.
According to her, “A good system of education should foster collaboration among educators, students, and community members to create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment.”
She emphasised on the importance of the School Management Committee (SMC) and the Parent Teacher Association (PTA) which play pivotal role in the education of children, adding there was the need to be guided by the Sustainable Development Goal, point 4, “promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all with targets aimed at tackling challenges in education, such as quality, equity and relevance.”
She lauded the Catholic Church for being a beacon of hope to many communities in terms of education, health, relief services amongst others, saying, the goal of the current government’s administration is to aggressively expand infrastructure, enhance teacher welfare and professional development and increase investment in the sector for quality outcomes.
She reminded all on the agreement that exist between the Government of Ghana and the Mission Schools for an enhanced and effective collaboration and the unity for the purpose in the delivery of desired education outcomes.
By Celestine Edem Gbologah//Newswatchgh.com
