President Nana Akufo-Addo has said religious institutions deserve to play significant roles in the management of their schools so that quality education is ensured and maintained in schools.

He said government is working on modalities for the implementation of the policy to either give mission schools back to faith-based organisations to run or partner with the faith-based organisations.

This was contained in a speech at the 143^rd Anniversary and Speech and Prize Giving day at Mfantsipim Secondary School, which was read on his behalf by the Railway Minister, Joe Ghartey.

The President explained that his government’s mission is due to his satisfaction in the Mfantsipim’s excellent production of its illustrious legacy of students. 

He said old students of such schools run as mission schools have gone on to become movers and shakers in the area of governance and international development.

Citing examples, he referred to the likes of Kofi Annan, Kofi Gbedemah, William Ofori Atta, Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur, President Kofi Abrefa Busia, Papa Owusu Ankomah in his speech.

“Mfantsipim has always sat on the seat of governance of this country and has indeed played a yeoman's role,” he added.

He believes that granting faith-based organisations access to management roles of their schools would contribute significantly to greater production of excellent students who would also become key for future national development.

President Akufo-Addo also commended other old boys of the school for their immense role in maintaining, expanding and developing infrastructure of the school with millions of cedis.

He said their contribution to the school has reassured government of their decision to hand over schools to faith-based organisations is worth pursuing.

The President congratulated Mfantsipim School on the anniversary and the strides the school has made over the years.

He also said that he believes the free SHS policy would help harness all talents and potentials of all to help put the nation on a sustainable development path to ensure prosperity and harmony for all.

The guest speaker for the occasion, Dr Yaw Dankyi Berko, in his address agreed with the President’s remarks on the realities of today’s quality of education provided in secondary schools.

“It is time to move from ‘chew, pour, pass and forget and paper qualifications’ to a place where they [students] remember what is taught, understand, apply, analyse, evaluate a stand and create new original work if our products are to enter the next century competitively globally,” he said.

He also called for a focus on intuitive understanding through instruction in teaching because he says this is the reason why products of our school system fall short of leadership, inventions and solution to our problems.