Ministry of Education to Amend Pre-Tertiary Act, Restoring Faith-Based Representation Amid Rising School Indiscipline

The Ministry of Education has announced plans to amend the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049) to restore and expand the representation of faith-based organizations (FBOs) on the Ghana Education Service (GES) Council. The decision follows intense advocacy from the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and other religious bodies who argue that their diminished influence in governance has contributed to a decline in moral standards and rising indiscipline within the nation’s schools. Deputy Minister Dr. Clement Apak acknowledged that the current legislation reduced faith-based representation from three members under the previous 1995 Act to just one, an anomaly the government now seeks to rectify through a more inclusive stakeholder approach.

The push for legislative change comes at a time when religious leaders are sounding alarms over a perceived crisis of character in educational institutions. Most Rev. Matthew Gyamfi, President of the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference, has been a vocal critic of the exclusion, stating that removing the Church from key decision-making processes undermines the promotion of discipline and moral values. He emphasized that the Church, as a primary provider of formal education in Ghana, should not be sidelined and then blamed for the subsequent rise in student immorality. This sentiment is echoed by the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Rt. Rev. Dr. Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, who recently warned that the growth of student gangs and the presence of weapons in schools pose a direct threat to the country’s future.

Beyond governance structures, education officials are calling for a fundamental shift in how Ghanaian students are taught. Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, Director-General of the Ghana Education Service, has advocated for a values-driven education system that balances academic knowledge with ethical grounding, particularly in the era of Artificial Intelligence. Speaking at recent educational forums, Prof. Davis stressed that while technology like AI is transformative, it must be matched by human intelligence and a strong moral compass. He urged faith-based institutions to adapt their traditional roles to meet these 21st-century challenges, ensuring that character development remains a priority alongside academic excellence.

The proposed amendment to Act 1049 is seen as a vital step toward fostering a collaborative environment where the state and religious bodies can jointly address school violence and indiscipline. Western Regional Minister Joseph Nelson and other stakeholders have reinforced that improving the quality of education requires more than just infrastructure; it necessitates producing well-rounded, responsible citizens. As the Ministry of Education moves forward with the amendment process, the focus remains on creating a holistic educational framework that integrates knowledge, skills, and the foundational values long championed by Ghana's faith-based communities.