The Ministry of Education has announced plans to amend the Pre-Tertiary Education Act, 2020 (Act 1049), to expand the representation of recognised faith-based organisations on the Ghana Education Service (GES) Council.

The move follows concerns from the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference over the absence of its representative on the Council, with the Ministry acknowledging the significant contribution of faith-based organisations to education in Ghana.

In a statement issued on Thursday, August 27, and signed by Deputy Education Minister Dr Clement Apaak, the Ministry explained that the previous Ghana Education Service Act, 1995 (Act 506) provided three seats for representatives of faith-based organisations on the GES Council. However, this was reduced to one under the 2020 law.

The Ministry said it identified the issue while constituting the GES Council in 2025 and consequently put the process on hold pending an amendment of Act 1049.

“The Ministry, in constituting the GES Council in 2025, noticed this anomaly of inadequate representation of the faith-based organisations and decided to hold on to it until Act 1049 is amended to adequately cater for faith-based institutions,” the statement said.

It said the proposed amendment would ensure appropriate representation for all recognised faith-based organisations while supporting the government’s decentralisation agenda in education.

The Ministry also reaffirmed its commitment to inclusive and consultative education governance and urged faith-based organisations to support efforts to address growing indiscipline in schools as the legislative review progresses.