“A school cannot replace the home” – Archbishop Kwofie laments declining parental involvement in education

The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp, has cautioned that the weakening role of parents in their children’s education is undermining discipline, learning and value formation in schools.

Speaking at the climax of the 50th anniversary celebrations of Bishop Bowers School at Laterbiokorshie, the Archbishop said, “A school cannot replace the home. Education works best when parents and teachers work together to support one another.”

The golden jubilee celebration, held under the theme “50 years of holistic Catholic education, the story of Bishop Bowers School”, brought together alumni, past and present head teachers, clergy of the Catholic Archdiocese of Accra, religious sisters and parents.

Reflecting on the early years of Catholic education, Archbishop Kwofie noted that parents once played an active and supportive role in school life. He said, “In the early years of all our schools, parents took their responsibility  towards their children very seriously. They took care of their education. They supported teachers and respected school authorities and reinforced discipline at home.”

He added that parents closely monitored their children’s progress and understood that “education did not end at the school gate.”

However, the Archbishop said the situation has changed, warning that reduced parental involvement is now evident across many schools. According to him, “In many schools and not only here, we are seeing less parental involvement. Some parents show little interest in the academic and moral life of their children.”

He observed that school authority is increasingly challenged, stating, “School rules are often questioned by the parents rather than supported. Teachers are challenged instead of encouraged.”

Archbishop Kwofie noted that expecting schools to assume total responsibility for children comes at a cost, noting that “in some cases, the school is expected to do everything for the students while their parents stay back.”

He stressed that when parents withdraw from their responsibilities, “discipline becomes difficult. learning suffers and values are harder to pass on.”