Mission schools should manage themselves, not gov’t – Most Rev Emmanuel Fianu

Chairman of the National Peace Council, Most Rev. Emmanuel Fianu, has called on the government to return the management of mission schools to the various religious missions that established them.

He argued that giving missions greater control would allow them to uphold the values, ethics, and educational philosophies upon which these schools were founded.

In an interview, Most Rev. Fianu noted that key decisions including the appointment of teachers and heads of mission schools should be made by the missions rather than through political or administrative appointments by the Ghana Education Service (GES).

“Allowing the missions to manage their schools will be a major advantage,” he said.

“The owners of the schools should be more involved in what happens in their institutions. If a faith-based school has a particular ethos or direction for character formation, it is important that the mission is involved in selecting who teaches or works there. When people don’t share your values, they may not collaborate effectively.”

Historically, mission schools were fully managed by the religious bodies that founded them, while the government provided support through funding and infrastructure.

However, what began as a partnership has evolved into what the Peace Council Chair described as a “total takeover,” with GES now exercising full control over management decisions.

Most Rev. Fianu expressed concern that the missions have gradually lost their influence in the running of their own schools.

“Appointments of teachers and heads are now done solely by the Ghana Education Service without consulting the owners of the schools,” he said.

“It was supposed to be a partnership, but over the years, the Education Service has taken over many of the responsibilities. The education units of the faith-based groups have become powerless, even though they previously handled these roles.”

Although teachers, heads, and other staff are now paid by the government, Most Rev. Fianu believes the shift has weakened the quality of education offered in mission schools.

“It has affected the quality of education more than evangelization,” he noted.

“The quality of education depends heavily on the ethos of the faith-based organisation that founded the school. That ethos is what shapes students, and when the mission has little influence, that quality is compromised.”

He maintained that restoring management control to the missions would strengthen both the academic and moral standards that mission schools are known for.