Archbishop Charles Palmer‑Buckle of Cape Coast cautioned Catholic parents in Sekondi on Monday that using church influence or connections to secure admission for children who do not meet academic requirements would erode the standards and reputation of Catholic schools.
Speaking at the 80th Anniversary Lecture of St Paul’s Commandery No. 354 of the Knights of St John International, the archbishop warned that such practices could undermine the quality of education offered by Catholic institutions.
Palmer‑Buckle urged parents to take greater responsibility for their children’s learning, providing the support needed to help them perform well academically, and stressed that membership of the Catholic Church should not be an automatic entitlement to admission.
He said, “Some Catholic church members think that because the school is ours, even if their child fails completely, they must still be admitted. My beloved brethren, this shouldn’t be the case.”
He added, “So when you are participating in the church, you are participating in the church for its well‑being, for its advancement, for its progress.”
The comments come amid concerns from parents and students over the ongoing Senior High School placement exercise, with some seeking alternative means to secure admission to their preferred schools.
Meanwhile, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference is pushing for the implementation of its decision to reserve 20 per cent of admissions to Catholic mission schools for Catholic candidates, a decision reached at the 2025 National Catholic Education Forum in Koforidua.
What follows is a call for parents to uphold academic integrity and for the church to enforce its admission policies without favoritism.
