Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference call for restoration of church-state partnership in education

The President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and Catholic Bishop of Sunyani, Most Rev. Matthew Gyamfi, has appealed to the government for the restoration of a robust Church State partnership in the administration of Catholic schools across the country.

The President of the Conference made the call during an official visit to the President of the Republic, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, where he expressed concern over the declining influence of the Church in the management of faith based educational institutions that it founded.

Bishop Gyamfi highlighted the Catholic Church’s historic role in Ghana’s educational development, emphasizing its long standing contribution to delivering quality education, instilling moral values, and expanding access to learning in underserved communities.

“The Church’s mission in education is grounded in the holistic development of the individual, combining academic excellence with ethical and spiritual growth”

To address the current challenges, the Bishop Conference proposed a revitalized Church State Co-Management Framework that promotes mutual accountability and shared responsibility. Central to the proposal is the establishment of formal partnership agreements between the Catholic Church and key state institutions, including the Ministry of Education and the Ghana Education Service (GES). These agreements, he noted, would provide a clear, structured framework for collaboration and protect the unique identity and mission of Catholic educational institutions.

Bishop Gyamfi also called for the creation of joint oversight committees comprising representatives from both the Church and the State.

These committees would be responsible for transparent and inclusive governance of Catholic schools, ensuring that decisions are made with fairness and respect for the Church’s values.

The Bishop Conference also recommended that government grant the Church greater autonomy in staffing Catholic schools to align with the Church’s ethos in preserving the spiritual and moral integrity of its institutions.

They further advocated for guaranteed Catholic representation in national education policymaking. Such inclusion, he argued, would ensure that the Church’s voice and values are reflected in decisions that shape the country’s educational landscape.

“These measures are not only about preserving our legacy but also about enhancing the quality and moral grounding of education delivered to Ghanaian children.”

In his response, President Mahama acknowledged the Catholic Church’s significant contributions to education and nation-building.

He expressed the government’s openness to collaborative frameworks that enhance educational outcomes and reaffirmed the State’s commitment to working with religious institutions to deliver quality education for all.

The visit by the Ghana Catholic Bishops Conference marks a renewed call for dialogue and cooperation between religious bodies and the State in sectors where faith based institutions have historically played pivotal roles. The proposed reforms, if implemented, could usher in a new era of partnership, reinforcing the Catholic Church’s mission in shaping the minds and values of Ghana’s future generations.