President John Mahama has apologised for the delayed invitation extended to the Christian Council of Ghana and the Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference to participate in the ongoing National Education Forum in Ho.

His apology follows concerns raised by the clergy in a press statement, expressing disappointment over their exclusion from the crucial dialogue on education reforms.

Addressing the issue at the launch of the forum, President Mahama acknowledged the oversight and assured the religious bodies of his government’s commitment to inclusivity in national conversations on education.

• Read also: ‘A disservice to inclusivity’ – Catholic Bishops, Christian Council decry exclusion from National Education Forum

"Let me express my sincerest apologies on behalf of the planning committee of the forum to our stakeholders of the faith-based organizations for the unpardonable omission committed in your delayed invitation to this forum," he said in the Volta Regional capital

He added that "the omission was very speedily remedied, but you still deserve an unqualified apology for this oversight"

"And since you are the purveyors of God's mercy on Earth, I'm sure that you have forgiven us… And we know you're important stakeholders because you own some of the schools, and so this educational forum is important to see how we carry everybody together."

The National Education Forum brought together education experts, policymakers, civil society groups, and religious leaders to discuss strategies for improving Ghana’s education system.