THE MODERATOR of the General Council of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG), Rt Rev. Dr Yaw Frempong-Manso, has called on the government to consult churches that had a stake in education on whether to ban or allow extra classes in schools to continue.
He also suggested that the churches must be involved in taking decisions on study leave for teachers in the diploma-awarding colleges of education.
Rt Rev. Frempong-Manso made the suggestions when he addressed the 82nd Conference of the Akuapem Presbytery of the PCG at Akropong Akuapem.
The four-day event was on the theme: “Put on the whole armour of God”.
It was attended by the clergy and some members of the laity, to take stock of activities of the presbytery over the past year and plan for the future.
Present at the ceremony were a number of traditional rulers of Akuapem, including the Okuapehemaa, Nana Dokua.
According to the moderator, the organisation of extra classes in educational institutions, especially in the senior high schools, had its advantages and disadvantages.
He stated that since some of the churches such as the PCG had a stake in education, they must be consulted before banning or allowing such extra classes to continue.
“Now almost all the primary, junior and senior high schools are organising extra classes with the view of improving the performances of the pupils and students but since there are advantages and disadvantages in the process, the government should consult churches which have a stake in education before taking any action on it”, Rt Rev Dr Frempong Manso stressed.
He also called for the involvement of churches, especially the PCG, in taking decisions on all matters on study leave with pay to students in the colleges of education.
The moderator deplored the upsurge of various forms of indiscipline in the society such as occultism, armed robbery, bribery and corruption and careless driving which had turned the roads and highways into graveyards.
He suggested to the government to collaborate with the churches to address the issues.
Rt Rev. Frempong-Manso tasked the Akuapem Presbytery to form a committee to bring back discipline within the communities in the presbytery.
He traced the history of the PCG in Ghana and said the church had established a lot of educational institutions from primary to the tertiary level as well as health facilities.
The moderator gave the assurance that the PCG would continue to partner the government in improving education and health in the country.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu Ampofo said since the government alone could not carry out development projects, particularly on education, it was necessary for the churches and non-governmental organisations to support it.
The regional minister stated that the government was doing its best to address indiscipline in the society, and expressed the hope that the conference would come up with proposals that would help stamp out the canker from the country.
He praised the PCG for its tremendous contributions to education and discipline in the country.
In a welcoming address which was contained in a nine-page document that was accepted by the conference as its development agenda, the Chairman of the Akuapem Presbytery, Rev Dr J.O.Y. Mantey, spelt out a number of projects and programmes that had either been completed or would be executed to improve both the spiritual and physical well-being not only of the various congregations within the presbytery but other people in the communities as well.
Rev. Dr Mantey said the task ahead would not be easy, and therefore called on both the clergy and the laity for support.
On the international scene, he said although the world was changing fast for the better, Africa as a whole was not keeping pace with the changing trend.
Rev. Dr Mantey, therefore, suggested that unless Africa attached a sense of urgency to its development, its people would continue to beg from the developed world.
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