By: Rev. E. Ahenkan Owusu
The 7th Annual Moderator’s Consultation on Education of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) was held with great enthusiasm and purpose, bringing together educational leaders and stakeholders from Presbyterian Institutions. This year’s consultation was held under the inspiring theme “Celebrating Our Heritage: The Role of Educational Leadership in Christian Mission.”
The event aimed to reflect on the Church’s historic and ongoing contributions to education in Ghana and strengthen the nexus between Christian mission and educational leadership. Participants included the heads of all PCG Secondary Schools, Technical and Vocational Institutes, Colleges of Education, and Universities.
The General Manager of Presbyterian Schools gave these statistics:
- Kindergarten: 1,024
- Primary: 1,082
- JHS 743
- SHS 36
- TVET 4
- Colleges of Educ. 5
- Universities: 2
- Total 2,896
The Chairman of the Consultation on Education, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, acknowledged the dedicated services of the various institutions and their staff. He indicated that “As a Church, we need to be intentional about developing leaders for our schools” to ensure consistency in our expected goals and achievements.
Moderator, speaking about discipline in our schools, begged the government, saying, “The Government should strengthen the hands of our teachers to enable them to ensure discipline in schools.” He explained his astonishment at a situation where a child can choose to stay out of classes as long as she/he want and still claim to be part of the student body as their right.
The Guest of Honour, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, Minister for Education, was ably represented by Prof. George T. K. Oduro, the Technical Advisor to the Minister. In his address, Prof. Oduro commended the Presbyterian Church of Ghana for its enduring commitment to education, dating back to the establishment of the first Presbyterian schools over a century ago. He noted that, in advancing education in Ghana, the Presbyterian Church opened its arms broadly to accept all faith-based individuals. “Today, you may find Hindu, Traditional, and Islamic adherents who might have received their formal education in Presbyterian schools.”
He underscored the need to continue to uphold discipline in our schools, saying, “The emphasis on morality made graduates from PCG schools the first preference of employment and ladies graduating from PCG schools the first choice of marriage suitors.” He encouraged faith-based institutions to continue championing character formation alongside academic excellence, especially in a time of increasing moral and ethical challenges in society.
The event was chaired by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana. In his opening remarks, the Moderator emphasized that the heritage of Presbyterian education is not only rooted in academic achievement but also in the holistic development of individuals grounded in Christian values. He encouraged educational leaders to remain steadfast in shaping minds and nurturing hearts for the transformation of society.
Quoting the 2011 Jakarta Declaration in Indonesia, “If wealth is lost, nothing is lost, if health is lost, something is lost, but if character is lost, everything is lost,” he emphasised the strong need to nurture character in our schools.
He mentioned that, from the Minister, the government is ready to cushion all teachers who accept postings to the rural communities of Ghana with 20% of their basic salary. On this, the Moderator acknowledged the gesture from the government that it is in the right direction.
Delivering his address, the National Director of Education/General Manager of Presbyterian Schools, in his capacity as convener of the consultation, traced the historic milestones of the Church’s educational mission and challenged participants to innovate within tradition. He called for stronger collaboration among the institutions, and reminded the heads of educational institutions that Presbyterian schools must always reflect the ethos of discipline, diligence, and integrity.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mrs. Rita Akosua Awatey, was represented by the Eastern Regional Director of Education, Dr. Mrs. Ivy Asantewaa Owusu, who praised the PCG for its continued partnership with the Ghana Education Service (GES). She noted that Presbyterian schools have consistently been among the top-performing institutions in the region and called on school heads and managers to continue mentoring the next generation of ethical leaders.
Throughout the consultation, panel discussions and breakout sessions explored various dimensions of educational leadership within the context of Christian mission, ranging from reports from each of the PCG institutions, development and moral education to effective school governance and inclusive policies.
The 7th Annual Consultation on Education affirmed that the Presbyterian Church of Ghana’s mission in education remains vital to national development, and that educational leadership anchored in Christian values is essential for nurturing responsible and God-fearing citizens for Ghana and beyond.
