The Metropolitan Archbishop of Accra, Most Rev. John Bonaventure Kwofie, CSSp, has expressed concern over what he described as the gradual erosion of core Ghanaian values, warning that the consequences are already being felt in schools.
Addressing the 50th anniversary celebration of Bishop Bowers School at Laterbiokorshie on February 7, Archbishop Kwofie said, “We must admit that we are slowly moving away from some of the core values that shaped us as Ghanaians.”
The Archbishop identified these values as “Respect for elders, honesty, hard work, self-discipline and concern for others,” stressing that they were foundational to both society and education in the past.
According to him, these values were deliberately nurtured over time, explaining that “These values did not come by accident. They were taught at home, reinforced at schools and lived in our communities.”
He warned that abandoning these principles carries serious consequences, saying plainly, “Losing them comes at a cost.”
Archbishop Kwofie linked the decline in values directly to challenges within the education system, noting that “In our schools, we are filling that cost dearly.”
Speaking under the theme “50 years of holistic Catholic education, the story of Bishop Bowers School”, he reminded the gathering that Catholic education was never intended to focus solely on academic success. He explained that education was about forming “the whole person, the mind, the character, the conscience, and the sense of responsibility to God and to the society.”
He said the anniversary celebration should serve as a moment of reflection and recommitment, calling on parents, teachers, Church authorities and students to uphold the values on which the school was founded.
Addressing students directly, the Archbishop urged them not to take their heritage lightly, reminding them that “Knowledge without character does more harm than good,” and warning that “the choices we are making today, these will shape the kind of adults we become tomorrow.”
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