NDC: President Akufo-Addo's 'lame' assurances on 'satanic' CSE 'insincere'
The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) has called on the coalition that spoke against the introduction of the Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) to remain vigilant so that it is not introduced into the country’s educational curricula.
“We must not rest on our oars until the government takes practical and appropriate steps to roll back this satanic CSE out of our dear country,” the NDC said in a statement signed and issued by its General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu-Nketia on Thursday [October 10, 2019].
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It said the NDC expected President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to outline steps he will be embarking on to completely withdraw CSE from Ghana and how he intended to renegotiate Ghana out of the numerous international agreements he had committed Ghanaians to.
“Nothing short of this will and must suffice," the NDC said in the statement.
It said “this is not the time for the President to play Ostrich and keep piling up falsehoods which only create more entanglements for his government, and most importantly leaves our children's future in total jeopardy.”
The idea of introducing a CSE from KG to Primary 6 in Ghana has dominated public discussions since last week and has aroused strong public sentiments with many opposing its introduction.
At a press conference in Accra on Tuesday, October 1, 2019, the Minister of Education, Dr Mathew Opoku Prempeh emphasised that even though the curriculum framework which has been approved by the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment (NaCCA) has also been approved by Cabinet and published, it “does not include CSE”.
Insincere assurances
In the NDC's statement, the party indicated that it has noted the belated and insincere assurances of President Akufo-Addo to the leadership of the religious community to the effect that CSE would not be introduced in the school curriculum under his watch.
“The NDC finds it extremely difficult to reconcile the President's belatedly lame assurances with the well established and concrete facts known to many Ghanaians are well aware that CSE has already found expression in the new Standard Based Curriculum and the Teacher Resource Packs for Basic Schools,” it noted.
That, the statement said, was an incontrovertible fact which teachers and their union leaders had confirmed firmly and publicly.
It said Ghanaians were now privy to a raft of official documentation which included the 2019 Budget Statement approved by Parliament last year, invitation letters and reports of workshops that had earlier been convened to train teachers on CSE implementation.
“Also, contrary to the claims of President Akufo-Addo, it is clear from objectives of the approved CSE guidelines that at the core of this satanic programme is a subtle attempt by the government to inculcate in our children acceptance and tolerance for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender (LGBT) which affronts the laws and socio-cultural values of Ghanaians.
Below is a copy of NDC statement
10th October, 2019
NDC’S PRESS STATEMENT ON AKUFO-ADDO’S BELATED AND INSINCERE POSITION ON HIS SATANIC CSE PROGRAMME.
The National Democratic Congress has noted the belated and insincere assurances of President Akufo-Addo to the leadership of the religious community to the effect that Comprehensive Sexuality Education (CSE) would not be introduced in the school curriculum under his watch.
We note that the President elected to speak only after the horses had bolted from the stable door and in the face of an avalanche of condemnation which he could no longer ignore.
The NDC finds it extremely difficult to reconcile the President's belatedly lame assurances with the well established and concrete facts known to many.
Ghanaians are well aware that CSE has already found expression in the new Standard Based Curriculum and the Teacher Resource Packs for Basic Schools. This is an incontrovertible fact which teachers and their Union leaders have confirmed firmly and publicly.
Ghanaians are now privy to a raft of official documentation which include the 2019 Budget Statement approved by Parliament last year, invitation letters and reports of workshops that have earlier been convened to train teachers on CSE implementation.
Also, contrary to the claims of President Akufo-Addo, it is clear from objectives of the approved CSE guidelines, that at the core of this satanic programme is a subtle attempt by the government to inculcate in our children acceptance and tolerance for LGBT which affronts our laws and socio-cultural values as a people.
The Akufo-Addo Government has not denied its commitment to her international partners who have so far provided what Government describes as generous funding for the elaborate rollout of CSE in Ghana, both within the school system and in communities targeting out of school settings.
Furthermore, the President's Minister for Education, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh in launching the CSE guidelines on 1st February 2019 thanked the Government's international collaborators for their support and especially for admitting Ghana into the five-member Program Acceleration Countries (PAC).
Indeed, because of funding from the Government of Sweden, the agreement for UNFPA to provide CSE technical assistance to the Ghana Education Service has not been abrogated; and there is no indication from President Akufo-Addo it will be abrogated.
Additionally, it is significant to point out that the CSE Program Implementation Officer who was recently recruited to be the focal person for CSE implementation in Ghana is still at post and busy functioning from his UNESCO Ghana office.
Confronted with the reality of an elaborate and well funded CSE roll out in Ghana with the full support of the Akufo-Addo administration, the NDC finds it audaciously immoral and blasphemous that the President looked in the eye of our respected clergy and Islamic clerics to deny the obvious.
The President ought to have at least been guided by how earlier attempts to deny the obvious by his Minister of Education left him badly exposed in a pool of contemptuous ridicule and derision.
The NDC expects President Akufo-Addo to outline steps he will be embarking on to completely withdraw CSE from Ghana and how he intends to renegotiate Ghana out of the numerous international agreements he has committed us to. Nothing short of this will and must suffice.
This is not the time for the President to play ostrich and keep piling up falsehoods which only create more entanglements for his Government; and most importantly leaves our children's future in total jeopardy.
The NDC calls on the impressive coalition that has emerged on this matter not to fall for President Akufo-Addo's charade.
Our appeal is for eternal vigilance on this matter. We must not rest on our oars until the Government takes practical and appropriate steps to roll back this satanic CSE out of our dear country.
We wish to re-echo the profound statements of our Flagbearer, H.E. John Dramani Mahama, that what Ghana needs is an improvement in quality education; and hereby serve notice that a future NDC Government will be under no obligation whatsoever to respect the obnoxious CSE agreements the Akufo-Addo led Government has entered into.
Signed.
Comrade Johnson Asiedu Nketia
(General Secretary)