PROSPECTS AND CHALLENGES OF RELIGIOUS AND MORAL EDUCATION (R.M.E.) IN CONTEMPORARY GHANA

Forfattere

  • Adam Konadu Dr., Social Science Department, Religious and Moral Education (R.M.E.) Unit, St. Ambrose College of Education, Dormaa-Akwamu, Bono Region, Ghana orcid.org/0000-0002-0335-4299
  • Stephen Kyei Dr., Arts Department, Religious and Moral Education (R.M.E.) Unit, Berekum College of Education, Berekum, Bono Region, Ghana orcid.org/0000-0002-8641-0750
  • Benedict Ekow Ocran Dr., Social Science Department Religious and Moral Education Unit, Our Lady of Apostles College of Education, Cape Coast, Ghana orcid.org/0000-0003-0300-7403
  • Charles Twene Kofi Dr., Social Science Department, Religious and Moral Education (R.M.E.) Unit, St. Ambrose College of Education, Dormaa-Akwamu, Bono Region, Ghana orcid.org/0000-0003-2732-5510
  • Dennis Tawiah Dr., Social Science Department, Religious and Moral Education (R.M.E.) Unit, Seventh-Day Adventist College of Education, Agona, Ashanti Region, Ghana orcid.org/0009-0008-1364-0767
  • Abraham Ofoe Agbenu Dr., Social Science Department, Religious and Moral Education (R.M.E.) Unit, St. Francis College of Education, Hohoe, Volta Region, Ghana orcid.org/0009-0007-8121-1203

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.46827/ejes.v13i6.6720

Nøgleord:

African philosophy, communal ethics, Ghana, moral education, religious education, religious pluralism

Resumé

Religious and Moral Education (R.M.E.) occupies a central place within Ghana’s educational and socio-cultural landscape, functioning as a key medium for the transmission of ethical values, religious literacy, and civic responsibility. This study critically examines the prospects and challenges of R.M.E. in contemporary Ghana, situating the subject within broader philosophical, educational, and socio-religious transformations. Drawing on qualitative interpretive analysis informed by African philosophical traditions—particularly Ubuntu—the study argues that R.M.E. plays a significant role in moral formation, social cohesion, and interfaith understanding across both formal and informal contexts. The findings indicate that R.M.E. remains an essential instrument for character formation and the reinforcement of communal values rooted in African moral thought. However, the subject continues to face substantial challenges, including inadequate teacher preparation, limited curriculum development, tensions arising from religious pluralism, the pervasive influence of digital media, and systemic pressures associated with educational reforms such as the Free SHS initiative. While R.M.E. demonstrates strong potential for fostering ethical citizenship and national development, its effectiveness is undermined by inconsistencies in implementation and rapidly evolving socio-cultural dynamics. By integrating theoretical perspectives with empirical insights, the study advocates for a re-imagining of R.M.E. that aligns with contemporary realities while remaining grounded in indigenous ethical frameworks. The research contributes to academic discourse by bridging African philosophy, religious literacy, and educational policy, offering a nuanced understanding of how R.M.E. can be repositioned as a transformative force within Ghana’s educational system.

Forfatterbiografier

  • Adam Konadu, Dr., Social Science Department, Religious and Moral Education (R.M.E.) Unit, St. Ambrose College of Education, Dormaa-Akwamu, Bono Region, Ghana orcid.org/0000-0002-0335-4299

    Adam Konadu (PhD) holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Religious Studies with specialization in Interfaith Relations and Religion and Society from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He also holds a Post-Graduate Diploma in Education from the Catholic University of Ghana, all in Ghana. His research interests include the Comparative Study of Religion, Interfaith Relations, Religious Education, and Religion and Society. He is a Lecturer of Religious and Moral Education at St. Ambrose College of Education at Dormaa-Akwamu in the Bono Region of Ghana.

    Email: konaduadam@sace.edu.gh

  • Stephen Kyei, Dr., Arts Department, Religious and Moral Education (R.M.E.) Unit, Berekum College of Education, Berekum, Bono Region, Ghana orcid.org/0000-0002-8641-0750

    Stephen Kyei (PhD) holds a BA, M.Phil., and PhD in Religious Studies from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), with specialization in Systematic Theology, Church and Society, and Ethics. His research interests focus on liturgy, faith, and their impact on society. He currently serves as the Head of the Department of Arts and as a Lecturer in Religious and Moral Education at Berekum College of Education in the Bono Region of Ghana.

    Email: stephenkyei@becoled.edu.gh

  • Benedict Ekow Ocran, Dr., Social Science Department Religious and Moral Education Unit, Our Lady of Apostles College of Education, Cape Coast, Ghana orcid.org/0000-0003-0300-7403

    Benedict Ekow Ocran (PhD) holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Religion and Health from Nottingham Trent University. He also possesses a Master's Degree in Education, Health Promotion, and International Development from University College London and a Master's in Religion and Human Values from the University of Cape Coast, Ghana. His research interests include a particular focus on how religion intersects with sexual health and, specifically, sexuality education as it relates to young people. He also has a distinct interest in researching positionalities and how they influence qualitative research methods and the production of knowledge. He is a Lecturer in Religious and Moral Education at the Our Lady of Apostles College of Education, Cape Coast, Ghana.

    Email: b-eocran@olacoe.edu.gh

  • Charles Twene Kofi, Dr., Social Science Department, Religious and Moral Education (R.M.E.) Unit, St. Ambrose College of Education, Dormaa-Akwamu, Bono Region, Ghana orcid.org/0000-0003-2732-5510

    Charles Kofi Twene (PhD) holds a Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Curriculum Studies from the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. He also holds a Master of Philosophy in Curriculum Studies in Religious Education from the University of Cape Coast (UCC) in Ghana. His research interest has been in Religion and Curriculum Studies. He is a Lecturer of Religious and Moral Education and the Head of the Social Science Department at St. Ambrose College of Education at Dormaa-Akwamu in the Bono Region of Ghana.

    Email: charlestwene@sace.edu.gh

  • Dennis Tawiah, Dr., Social Science Department, Religious and Moral Education (R.M.E.) Unit, Seventh-Day Adventist College of Education, Agona, Ashanti Region, Ghana orcid.org/0009-0008-1364-0767

    Dennis Tawiah (PhD) holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Religious Studies from Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He also holds a Master of Philosophy in Religious Studies degree from KNUST. His research interests include Biblical Studies, Religion and Society, Religious Education, and Moral Education, with a particular focus on how scriptural understanding influences ethical behaviour and social development in African contexts. He is a Lecturer in Religious and Moral Education at Seventh-Day Adventist College of Education at Agona in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.

    Email: dennistawiah9@gmail.com

  • Abraham Ofoe Agbenu, Dr., Social Science Department, Religious and Moral Education (R.M.E.) Unit, St. Francis College of Education, Hohoe, Volta Region, Ghana orcid.org/0009-0007-8121-1203

    Abraham Agbenu Ofoe (PhD) holds a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Religious Studies with specialization in Religious and Moral Education from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He also holds a Master of Philosophy degree in the Study of Religions from the University of Ghana, Legon. His research interests include Religion and Society. He is a Lecturer in Religious and Moral Education at St. Francis College of Education at Hohoe in the Volta Region of Ghana.

    Email: abrahamofoe5@gmail.com

     

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2026-05-15

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Årg. 13 Nr. 6 (2026)

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