IT’S UNPATRIOTIC TO USE EDUCATION AS POLITICAL TOOL – Rev. Minister
From Ernest Best Anane, Kumasi
A PASTOR of the Assemblies of God Church in Kumasi has condemned the way politicians have of late adopted education as a tool for securing the mandate of the electorate for political power.
Rev. Elvis Kwadwo Sarpong, Old Tafo District pastor of the church, who lamented on the way the politicians are using education as their tool for political gain, said the situation is unacceptable and described it as unpatriotic.
According to the Rev. Minister, since education is the backbone for the socio-economic development of the nation, it is time for Ghana, as a developing country, to have a national policy for our educational system which will not be based on any political party’s ideology to work as a structure.
Sharing his views with The Chronicle, he indicated that ‘free’ or ‘quality’ education that has become an issue for the Political parties in their campaigns might all be feasible for the nation if we as a nation set our priorities right.
He said political leaders might not have any problem delivery free or quality education if the government would use our endowed resources judiciously.
According to him, it is indicative that politicians are using students for experiment, regarding the number of years (three or four ) students are to spend in school something he maintained will not secure the future of students.
He said the most important thing that we must embrace as nation is training for increased labor force for the job market for the benefit of the country as a whole since more people could benefit under free education by acquiring knowledge and skills.
He said every body needs education before one could deliver quality service, and if we as a nation are ready to invest in the education as a priority, it will help to increase literacy to about 70 to 80% amongst the youth and help increase income which will yield fruits, as unemployment is reduced in the long run.
Rev. Kwadwo Sarpong, however, stated that the free Education will also help the majority who cannot have access to Education to also benefit, and for that matter appealed to politicians and the nation as a whole to always put the nation first, before individual selfish interests and political gains.
He appealed to colleague men of God to use the pulpit to preach peace as the basis of the word of God and remain neutral since the pulpit is not a political platform as the church is a community of people with different political inclinations.
He advised the Ghanaian youth not to allow themselves to be deceived by politicians to destabilize the electoral process during the elections.
He also appealed to Chiefs to resist attempts by politicians to influence them to sway informed decisions of their subjects for promises of development projects.
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