Former President John Mahama says the Comprehensive Sexuality Education programme is unacceptable and must be withdrawn immediately by the government.
He says educational policies of government must respect the cultural values and norms of Ghanaians.
In a Facebook post, Mr. Mahama said: “I fully understand the outrage of the moral society and a large majority of parents, opposing the planned introduction of what government and its partners are calling Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE).
“As noted by the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Most Rev. Philip Naameh of the Catholic Bishops Conference, Rev. Dr. Paul Frimpong-Manso and National Chief Imam Sheikh Nuhu Sharubutu, this addition to the national curriculum cannot be acceptable in any form. Government must immediately withdraw its policy to promote sexuality, sexuality types and practice among young children as the CSE Guidelines implicitly advocates”.
He further stressed: “We reject it and note that it is important for Government and all Ghanaians to respect and uphold the enduring values, norms and the rich culture of Ghana.
What Ghana urgently needs is a substantial improvement in quality education, which is accessible and affordable to all”.
The Chief Imam in his opposition to the programme called for broader consultation in such critical matters.
“We would like to state unequivocally that the Islamic Community does not accept any form of educating minors and pupils on sexuality. In our estimation, such a move is an attempt to hide behind educational reforms to brainwash the pupils with LGBT agenda.
Ideally, Islamic jurisprudence recommends that sexual education be introduced to children above the age of 10. This is the time the children are expected to begin to understand the socio-moral consequences of the choice of sex orientation.
“We, therefore, urge the sector Ministry and GES to consider a broad consultation with relevant stakeholders on the implementation of the controversial policy.
“We appeal to the Ministry and GES to drop that satanic agenda in the interest of national cohesion and moral promotion,” the Chief Imam said in a statement.
Ghana and the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) launched the CSE programme this year in a bid to empower adolescents and young people to deepen their scope of existing activities to attain a Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE).
It would support delivery of good quality CSE that empowers adolescents and young people to deepen the scope of existing activities to attain an almost full-scale implementation of CSE in six countries also known as the Programme Acceleration Countries – Ghana, Eswatini, Malawi, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, the Education ministry has said.
Over 20 million learners in 64,000 primary and secondary schools are expected to be reached on the Programme, as well as 47,000 preservice teachers and 367,000 in-service teachers.
Source: Ghana/Starrfm.com.gh/103.5FM/Kojo Ansah