The Methodist Church Ghana has appealed to the government to address the education infrastructure deficit in the country as a matter of urgency with the aim to abolish the double-track system as soon as possible.
It explained that the double-track system had become so confusing now and urged the government to transition such schools into single-track cycles.
It said if the government was able to improve school infrastructure by, for instance, increasing the number of schools, the double-track system would no longer be necessary.
“In fact, it’s confusing even for some of us who are educationists.
It’s difficult to tell who is in the red, yellow or green track.
It’s so messy.
But when they are going to school together, it’s easy to follow,” explained the Right Rev. Dr Samuel Nii Nmai Ollennu, the Methodist Bishop of Accra.
Rt Rev. Dr Ollennu, who was also a former head of the West African Examination Council, further asked the government to respect the religious character and ethos of the mission schools.
He explained that religious bodies did not just have those schools to train people to have good knowledge or to be able to do some mathematical gymnastics but were trained to also gain skills in working in life.
Synod
Rt Rev. Dr Ollennu said that yesterday at the official opening of the 65th Annual Synod of the Accra Diocese of the church at the Rev. J.E. Allotey-Pappoe Memorial Methodist Church, Accra New Town.
The synod, which was on the theme: Walking in the Word: Equipped for every good work”, is the highest decision-making body of the Methodist Church Ghana at the Diocesan level.
The significance of a Methodist Synod are that it offers the chance for a diocese of the church to take account of what has been done in the previous year; a time for spiritual upliftment and additionally, to pray to ask God to increase the membership of the church.
The appeal by Bishop Ollennu was contained in his address to the synod, that has in attendance the Presiding Bishop of the church, Most Rev. Professor Johnson Kwabena Asamoah-Gyadu; the Lay President, Kwasi Atta-Antwi; past bishops, past lay presidents and chairmen; ministers and lay members of the church.
Rt Rev. Dr Ollennu further asked the government to consider consulting stakeholders such as religious groups, such as the Methodist Church, whenever they were conducting curriculum reviews.
24-hour economy
Touching on the government’s 24-hour economy policy, he said the church had embraced it, however, for people to feel safe to walk at night to work, it should endeavour to fix street lights.
“Accra is dim. If the streets are well lit and people can walk without fear of being attacked, we think it will help the system better. It will promote even the greater achievement of the policy,” he explained.
He also asked the government to see to the cleanliness of the city, pointing out that the city was not clean and that Ghanaians deserved a clean environment.
The bishop’s address also touched on other areas, including achievements of the diocese and church growth, among others.
Most Rev. Prof. Asamoah-Gyadu, in his address to the synod, urged ministers of the church to provide leadership by improving worship life, adding that they should cut out unnecessary chatter and rather make the prayer life of the church worship spirit-filled.
He further asked them to use social media responsibly.
There were fraternal messages from the Bible Society of Ghana and the Christian Council of Ghana with the General Secretary of the latter, Rev. Dr Cyril Fayose, expressing concern on the softening position on the passage of the Family Values Bill and the tackling of the galamsey menace.
Source:
www.graphic.com.gh