The Hidden Influence and Catalysts of Religious and Moral Education in Ghanaian Basic Schools: Co-Curricular Activities in Perspective
Dennis Tawiah 
, John Kwaku Opoku & Peter Addai-Mensah
Issue: Vol.6 No.1 Issue Article 3 pp.26-43
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025613 | Published online 30th January, 2025
© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
This study investigates the hidden influences and catalysts of Religious and Moral Education (RME) within co-curricular activities in Ghanaian basic schools. The importance of RME in Ghana’s educational system is undeniable, yet the issues of immoral behaviour among students persist, raising concerns about the efficacy of current educational methods. While formal classroom instruction is crucial, the impact of co-curricular activities on moral and religious development is less understood. This study uses a descriptive survey design to explore the practical factors that influence RME through co-curricular activities. Data were collected from 104 participants, including parents, teachers, and students from the Sefwi Wiawso Municipality. Findings indicate that co-curricular activities, such as community service, sports, debates, and cultural events, are essential for moral and religious growth. The study highlights the benefits of co-curricular activities, including the development of empathy, tolerance, leadership skills, and ethical decision-making. Despite these benefits, challenges such as limited resources, inadequate logistic support, and stakeholder disinterest hinder effective implementation. Parents feel excluded and desire more involvement and communication from schools. Teachers emphasize the value of these activities for reinforcing social and cultural values. The study concludes that integrating co-curricular activities into the curriculum is essential for fostering moral and religious development. These insights aim to guide policymakers and educators in improving RME programmes in Ghanaian basic schools, holistic growth of students. This study contributes to scholarship by highlighting the significant role of co-curricular activities in moral and religious education and suggesting practical improvements for educational policy and practice.
Keywords: Co-curricular, Ghanaian Basic Schools, Religious and Moral Education, Holistic Growth, Students, Moral and Ethical Values
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Dennis Tawiah lectures at Seventh-Day Adventist College of Education, Agona, Ashanti. He has a Diploma in Basic Education (Wiawso College of Education, Ghana), a Bed. in Religious Studies (VVU, Ghana) and a Master of Philosophy in Religious Studies (KNUST). Currently, he is a PhD student at the Department of Religious Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, (KNUST) Ghana. His research interests are in Biblical Studies, Religion and Society, Religious Education, and Moral Education.
Prof. John Kwaku Opoku is a Catholic Priest in the Catholic Archdiocese of Kumasi. He is an Associate Professor at the Department of Religious Studies – Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). He has a B.A. in the study of Religion and Sociology (Legon, Ghana), an M.A. in Intercultural Theology (Radboud Universiteit-Nijmegen), a Master of Bioethics (Medical Colleges of Radboud Universiteit-Nijmegen, Catholic University of Leuven-Belgium, the Universities of Basel and Padova -Switzerland and Italy respectively) and a Ph.D. in Theology and Health (Radboud Universiteit-Nijmegen). His areas of specialization are Pastoral Theology, Bioethics, and Religion and Health.
Rev Fr. Dr. Peter Addai-Mensah is a Catholic priest and a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Religious Studies, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, (KNUST) Ghana. He has a Diploma in Theology (Legon, Ghana), a Licentiate in Sacred Theology (Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Cambridge, Massachusetts); a Master’s in Education (Boston College, Brighton, Massachusetts), and a Doctorate in Sacred Theology (Weston Jesuit School of Theology, Cambridge, Massachusetts). His research interests are in Theology and Spirituality.
Tawiah, Dennis, John Kwaku Opoku & Peter Addai-Mensah. “The Hidden Influence and Catalysts of Religious and Moral Education in Ghanaian Basic Schools: Co-Curricular Activities in Perspective,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 6, no.1 (2025): 26-43. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2025613
© 2025 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
