President John Dramani Mahama has called for respect for diversity in faith-based schools, emphasising that recognition of different religious practices is already embedded in existing agreements.
Speaking during a meeting with the National Peace Council on Wednesday, December 10, President Mahama addressed a growing dispute surrounding the rights of Muslim students in mission schools, urging leaders to comply with agreements stated in their Memorandum of Understanding
“We note that somebody has filed a case before the Supreme Court, which has yet to pronounce on the issue. But if you read what the faith-based organisations agreed in their own Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), I don’t see the point of this dispute. The MoU explicitly requires recognition of diversity.
“I do not want to suggest it, but I think the Supreme Court has its work cut out for it,” President Mahama added.
The president’s comments come amid a lawsuit filed against Wesley Girls’ Senior High School by Ghanaian citizen Shafic Osman. The suit alleges that the school has systematically suppressed Muslim students by preventing them from observing their religious practices.
The plaintiff is seeking several declarations, including that the school’s policies are inconsistent with the 1992 Constitution, and an order directing the Ghana Education Service to issue constitutionally compliant guidelines regulating religious observance in all public schools.
However, the Supreme Court has instructed Wesley Girls’ SHS to formally respond to the allegations contained in Osman’s suit. The case has sparked nationwide debate on religious freedom and the role of mission schools in accommodating diverse faiths.
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