Accra, May 12, GNA - Education and Sports Minister, Mr Yaw Osafo-Maafo on Thursday called on teachers and parents to make moral and spiritual development of children their prime concern. He said the increase in moral decadence in the society coupled with the emergence of the HIV/AIDS was threatening the survival of the future generation.

Mr Osafo Maafo drew attention to the situation in an address read on his behalf by the Deputy Minister of education, Mrs Angela Baiden-Amissah at the opening of the Eighth Annual Conference of the Association of Christian Schools, organised jointly with Oral Roberts University Education Foundation and the Ghana Pentecostal Council. The theme for the two-day conference, being attended by educational administrators and teachers from mostly Pentecostal community of school is: "Christian Education: A tool for Dynamic Change in Education". Mr Osafo-Maafo said a strategic plan to provide relevant education to all Ghanaians at all levels to enable them to acquire skills that would assist in developing their potentials had been developed by the Ministry of Education and Sports (MOES).

The strategic plan would assist the youth to be productive, facilitate poverty reduction and promote socio-economic growth and national development

He said in an era where society and church were experiencing an "integrity crisis" in leadership, one could not afford to downplay the importance of Christian education.

"The way our children see the world, they way they approach life and the depth of their character are all influenced by education." He said: "No investment in this world has more potential than the investment in the education of our children." He, therefore, called on all who profited from the education of the child to come together to pool resources to move the enterprise forward.

He said the cohesive interplay of all identifiable stakeholders had the potential of ensuring the development of an effective educational system in the country.

He said the development of a vibrant educational system that met the aspirations of the people needed commitment, devotion, love, care and concern for the children.

He said Christians could become an effective tool in the development of education in the country and encouraged the Association to work hard.