Reverend Abubakr appeals to Education Ministry

Right Reverend Nuh Ben Abubakr, Bishop of the Kumasi Diocese of the Methodist Church has appealed to the Ministry of Education and Sports and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to adopt pragmatic measures to intensify moral training and promotion of Christian values in basic and secondary schools in order to effect attitudinal change among Ghanaians.

He noted that the rebuilding of the nation and the achievement of prosperity for its people could not be realized solely by installing hi-tech and other ultra modern equipment, but also, on the strong character and attitude of its people.

Speaking at the 45th Annual Synod of the Kumasi diocese of the church at the Ahinsan Mount Zion Chapel in Kumasi, Rev Abubakr asked the GES to give prominence to the subjects that provided moral training and that, equal emphasis should be placed on moral excellence as is placed on academic excellence

"In our determination to set our ailing economy right, we tend to think that we can rebuild our nation, achieve and sustain a high gross national product solely by installing hi-tech and other ultra modern equipment. If the character of our people is not good, whatever measures we employ will not save us", he stressed.

He also appealed to the GES to provide a decent dress code for teachers and enforce its code of ethics on acts of indiscipline on teachers and students and also re-activate and strengthen guidance and counselling unit to help meet the current emotional challenges facing students and teachers.

Rev Abubakr commended the government for the number of initiatives in the educational sector, which had helped to improve infrastructure, enrolment as well as teaching and learning in schools.
He, however, appealed to the government to revise the existing salaries, allowances and mode of promotion and pension schemes of teachers in the country and make conscious efforts to provide teachers with accommodation.

He said the church would continue to promote school evangelism through the establishment of teachers' fellowships in schools, adding that, the church would continue to assist the schools to give the right training to children.
Rev Abubakr expressed regret about the reported cases of corruption, greediness, cheating and other social vices which had engulfed the Ghanaian society and urged all Ghanaians to pray for repentance for the Lord to restore the nation to its former glory in this period of the nation.

As part of the income generation efforts of the church, Rev Abubakr said the church was constructing a hostel at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) while work on the development of the Suame Roundabout land into a multi-purpose venture was on course.
Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, appealed to the church to take a firm stand against the practice of occultism, which was creeping into the country's educational institutions.

He called on Christians to inculcate good moral values and virtues in the people and educate their members, especially the youth on the dangers of unprotected and illicit sex to avoid contracting the HIV/AIDS.