Pentecost University has called on government to immediately initiate a broad national stakeholders’ dialogue among the country’s educational institutions to address what it describes as a deepening moral decline threatening Ghana’s social fabric.

The University says issues of corruption among the political elite, and a general erosion of moral values across society, must be tackled urgently to restore integrity and national discipline.

Registrar of the University, Rev. Dr. Michael Armah, made the call during the school’s matriculation ceremony, which welcomed over 4,650 new students into various programs.

“We’re deeply concerned by the growing reports of incidents that suggest our country is experiencing a very high incidence of moral decay. You hear in the news not only about political corruption but also moral corruption, sometimes regrettably, even in our schools and occasionally in our religious circles,” he said.

Dr. Armah explained that Pentecost University has introduced a compulsory National Morals Development Programme for all students, regardless of their field of study.

“The purpose is to help students adopt civic values that, in our earlier years, were instilled through patriotic songs and civic education—values that gave us a sense of nationalism and deep patriotism,” he noted.

According to him, strengthening moral education within Ghana’s academic institutions is one of the surest ways to curb corruption and build a new generation of ethical leaders.

“We believe that this intentional process can help us raise the next generation of leaders who will be conscious of their integrity and put the nation’s interest ahead of personal gain,” he said.

Dr. Armah therefore urged the Ministry of Education to lead a broader national engagement on the country’s moral crisis, emphasizing that such discussions must not be limited to the basic level of education.

“We commend the Ministry of Education for the recent curriculum redesign, which includes civic duties and moral education. However, these initiatives do not seem to be yielding the desired results. We want the Ministry to have a broader stakeholder engagement. While these efforts exist at the basic level, can we also engage those of us at the tertiary level on how to translate these values into higher learning?” he appealed.

He further suggested that the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) and universities across the country collaborate with the Ministry to explore collective strategies for national moral transformation.

“If we have a national stakeholders’ engagement through GTEC and the Ministry of Education, bringing all universities together, we can collectively examine what is happening in society and approach this from different angles for greater impact,” he proposed.

This year’s matriculation, one of the university’s largest yet, admitted 4,656 new students, including 162 postgraduate, 1,245 undergraduate, and 3,249 certificate students across seven faculties namely Theology, Business Administration, Education, Health and Allied Sciences, Information Technology, Engineering, and Law.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Kwabena Agyapong-Kodua reaffirmed the University’s identity as more than an academic institution but a community dedicated to character formation and service.

“Pentecost University is more than just a place of learning. It is a community of transformation and service. Here, we believe that true success is not measured only by grades or achievements, but by the integrity that guides our choices, the lives we touch, and the glory our lives bring to God. We go beyond academic excellence to transform minds and shape hearts. This powerful blend of knowledge and spirituality is what we proudly call ‘Scholarship on Fire!’” he declared.

Some newly admitted students also lauded the university’s moral focus.

First-year student Joshua Tei told JoyNews that the university’s emphasis on integrity influenced his choice.

“I chose Pentecost University because of its focus on morality. For a school that is concerned about the integrity of its students, I believe that aside from building its own reputation, it will help me build mine. When I step into the job market, I’ll be competitive because of that perceived integrity,” he said.

Pentecost University says it remains committed to sustaining strong spiritual and ethical values while leveraging state-of-the-art facilities and cutting-edge technology to drive continuous growth, transformation, and excellence.