The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference has called on the government to prioritize the posting of Catholic teachers to Catholic schools, emphasizing the need to preserve the religious identity and values of these institutions.
Speaking at the National Education Forum in Ho on February 19, 2025, the Vice President of the Conference, Most Rev. Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, SVD, stressed that Catholic schools are an extension of the Church’s mission and should be staffed with educators who align with its faith-based principles.
“Since Catholic schools are an extension of the Church’s faith, the Church wishes to humbly appeal to His Excellency, the President of the Republic to consider posting newly recruited teachers who are Catholics to Catholic schools to keep the Catholic faith alive in Catholic schools so that we do not lose our identity in our own schools,” he stated.
The Bishop highlighted concerns that without deliberate efforts to assign Catholic teachers to these schools, their unique values and moral foundation could erode over time. He noted that faith-based education plays a crucial role in shaping responsible and ethical citizens, and maintaining the Catholic ethos in mission schools is essential for sustaining this legacy.
The National Education Forum, themed “Transforming Education for a Sustainable Future,” convened key stakeholders to discuss the future of Ghana’s education system. The Catholic Church, a significant partner in education, has long advocated for structured collaboration with the government to ensure that mission schools continue to serve both academic and moral development purposes.
Bishop Fianu reiterated the Church’s commitment to working with the government to improve education but insisted that respect for religious identity must be central to policy decisions affecting mission schools.
He urged the Ministry of Education to engage religious groups in discussions on teacher deployment to ensure that faith-based institutions maintain their distinct character.
