Matilda Amissah Arthur Calls On Churches To See Itself As An Important Partner In The Education Of Children

The wife of the Vice President, Matilda Amissah Arthur, has called on the Church to see itself as an important partner in the education of children not just in ensuring that they are brought up in the knowledge of the Lord but that they are well educated.

The Wife of the Vice President made the statement as the Guest Speaker at the 40th Annual National Conference Of Education Units ( COMEU) at the GNAT Hall in Cape Coast under the theme , Financing Quality Education in Ghana- The Role of Stakeholders.

Mrs. Amissah Arthur, said quality education is what will make the students knowledgeable and potentially employable, so the need for local businesses and industries all have support government in providing quality education.

She called on all to help in the area of donations in cash and in kind –in the provision of teaching and learning materials or can also offer scholarships to students for the duration of their courses.

Mrs Amissah Arthur who is also a professional librarian said education is serious business –it cannot be the exclusive preserve of the government, so all persons of goodwill have a contribution to make the provision of quality education.

She said according to World Vision,“Quality education is one that provides all learners with capabilities they require to become economically productive, develop sustainable livelihoods,

Contribute to peaceful and democratic societies and enhance individual well-being.”

Adding that The Ministry of Education states its overall goal as: “To provide relevant and quality education for all Ghanaians especially the disadvantaged to enable they acquire skills which will make them functionally literate and productive to facilitate poverty alleviation and promote the rapid socio-economic growth of the county.” (Government of Ghana Official Portal)

She called on stakeholders begin to critically look at ways of supporting to ensure quality education. Saying the Church and Parent Teacher Associations (PTAs) each has a role to play in ensuring that schools have adequate funds. Parents should recognize that quality education is not cheap and with the increase in the population of school children the time has come for them supplement government's effort.

Parents should also realize that government subsidies have cushioned them and with the economic down turn they have to chip in to ensure that the quality of education does not suffer.

This she said requires that parents pay all levies imposed by the PTA to assist the schools.

Even though the role of the PTA is a supportive one, can go a long way to boost education.

With regard to the mission schools, the church has a role in ensuring that it supports those schools by contributing financially to the schools periodically.

The Omanhene of the Oguaa traditional area Osabarima Kwesi Atta11 called on the church and government to partner them in development, so that it would help the young ones who are the future generation leaders, citing an example that he went to a mission school and it's what has made him what he's today.

Osabarima went on to state that the school placement and quota for indigenes have not gone down well with them, so government should take a second look at it so as to help.

There were solidarity messages from all the mission schools educational managers led by the (COMEU ) president Mr Peter Yaw Frimpong who complained about lack of funding and coordination between the two, so the need for them to come to a consensus so as to solve the problems between them and district directors and regional directors of education.