Kumasi: Professor Dr Daniel Buor, a Professor of Geography and Rural Development at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has advocated for the restoration of church autonomy in the management of mission schools in Ghana. He emphasised that churches should oversee the administration of these institutions with minimal state interference.
According to Ghana News Agency, Prof. Buor believes that granting churches greater control over mission schools could significantly contribute to the moral development of the youth and serve as a strong countermeasure against rising corruption and criminal behavior in the country. He made these remarks during a commissioning ceremony for a newly constructed five-unit classroom block for the Methodist Primary School at Manhyia in the Atwima Nwabiagya South Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
The project, which cost GHS800,000, was funded by businessman Mr Kingsley Owusu, popularly known as ‘Deedew’, with technical support from the Municipal Assembly. Prof. Buor expressed concern over the weakening moral fabric of society, highlighting issues such as drug abuse, sexual immorality, inappropriate dressing, disrespect for elders, and domestic violence, which he said have collectively disrupted social progress and filled society with confusion and pain.
Reflecting on the history of educational development in Ghana, he noted the importance of the various educational reforms initiated in 1961, 1974, 1987, 1994, and most recently, the recommendations of the Anamuah-Mensah Committee in 2007. He commended these reforms for incorporating key objectives aimed at preparing individuals to serve both God and humanity in this era of globalization and information technology.
Prof. Buor also underscored the critical role parents play in the upbringing of their children, pointing out that children spend about 65 per cent of their schooling time at home. He warned that a failure on the part of parents to actively contribute to their children’s training would undermine all other efforts toward holistic education.
He underscored the importance of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in today’s knowledge-based society and called on parents, school authorities, and other stakeholders to provide computers and other resources to enhance students’ employability after school. The commissioning event was jointly organized by the Municipal Directorate of Education and the ‘Deedew’ Foundation, under the theme: ‘Investing in the Education of the Ghanaian Child for National Development.’
Mr Owusu pledged to construct a toilet facility and an ICT laboratory for the school in the near future. Nana Pokuah Amoako, the Municipal Director of Education, lauded Mr Owusu for his generosity and urged the school’s management and staff to maintain the new facility and use it to foster a more conducive learning environment.