Regional News of Monday, 10 July 2006

Source: GNA

Education without morality is dangerous to society

Amedzofe (V/R), July 10, GNA - Education without the corresponding good and acceptable moral life, based on the fear of God, is dangerous to society, Reverend Seth Agidi, Principal of the E.P. Church Seminary at Peki has said.

"It is rather unfortunate that many of our intellectuals who benefited from the country's scarce resources for quality education are no longer interested in moral and spiritual discipline, all that people care about these days is money, money and money", he said. Rev Agidi made this assertion at the 60th anniversary celebration of the Amedzofe Training College on Sunday.

He said the situation was giving birth to violence and injustices, unhealthy competitions and discriminations.

He said the trend must change, because though "raw education" has the potential to be a tool for human resource development, the absence of a "vibrant, prophetic" ministry of the church was affecting meaningful and successful development, peace and unity in the country. Rev. Agidi observed that the refusal of trained teachers, nurses and doctors to work in rural areas, accounted for the perpetuation of the basic problems in the country despite unprecedented developments in science, communication technology and medicine globally. He said it was imperative that while the nation achieved a lot in the field of education and other areas of learning such as science and Information Technology, it should also improve its moral and spiritual character.

Rev. Agidi said the trend towards moral decadence in the country required powerful, moving and uncompromising prophetic messages of repentance from the Church.

Rev Agidi bemoaned that the Church generally goes in for "diluted, lousy and compromised messages, which the people want to hear for cheap applause".

Mr Kwame Amporfo Twumasi, Deputy Minister of Education, Science and Sports noted that although human development involves other elements such as good health care and nutrition at adequate levels, the major instrument for developing the country's human resources was education training.

He said the government had consequently put in place measures to improve learning and teaching activities significantly, whilst positive action was also being taken to aid teachers in their work to enable them to be more effective.

Mr Prince Kwame Adzraku, the College Senior Prefect in his address said, inadequate bungalow for tutors, the lack of a library complex, water, health and transportation were some of the problems militating against the smooth running of the school.