In a thought-provoking discourse at the Kibi Presbyterian College of Education, Reverend Dr. Kwabena Opuni-Frimpong, former General Secretary of the Christian Council of Ghana, highlighted the critical nexus between education, morality, and national progress.
Speaking at a memorial lecture for Rev Dr. Nkansah Kyeremateng, Rev Dr. Opuni-Frimpong underscored the imperative for imbuing Ghana’s educational system with moral and spiritual values.
He emphasized that the cultivation of moral and ethical principles should stand as a cornerstone alongside the traditional focus on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). Rev Dr. Opuni-Frimpong urged the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ghana Education Service (GES) to integrate moral education seamlessly into the curriculum, emphasizing that the nation’s socioeconomic advancement hinges upon the character and conduct of its citizens.
“We must pursue STEM with another M – Morality. STEM must have another M… We should not do STEM without morality,” Rev Dr. Opuni-Frimpong asserted passionately. He cautioned that an education system devoid of moral grounding could inadvertently breed intelligent but morally bankrupt individuals, capable of exploiting their knowledge for nefarious purposes.
Expressing pride in the strides made by the Minister of Education, Rev Dr. Opuni-Frimpong nonetheless stressed the urgency of infusing moral education into STEM disciplines. He warned against the prospect of nurturing a generation adept at manipulating engineering, medical, and pharmaceutical systems for personal gain, at the expense of societal well-being.
In essence, Rev Dr. Opuni-Frimpong’s message resonates as a call to recalibrate Ghana’s educational priorities, ensuring that intellectual prowess remains firmly anchored to moral rectitude, thus fostering a citizenry poised to contribute positively to the nation’s growth and prosperity.
By: Isaac Nyarko, UniMAC-IJ
