Kofi Asare asserts that the debate over religious expression in mission schools must be firmly grounded in constitutional rights, rather than institutional preference or public sentiment.
Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, the Africa Education Watch Executive Director stressed that “the issue is the enjoyment of religious rights in mission schools and not mostly girls.”
He argued that Ghana’s constitutional guarantees are clear and cannot be subordinated to school traditions or administrative discretion.
“Article 17 of our Constitution is clear that discrimination on grounds of religion is prohibited, and it guarantees religious freedom. The power of choice cannot override constitutionally guaranteed rights,” he said.
According to him, the principle of non-compulsion must be properly understood.
“The principle of non-compulsion simply says that no one should be forced to practice another religion or stop practising their religion. Whether you are doing it because you think you have the right to choose or not is another matter.”
Asare warned that the core concern is unequal treatment. “What we are discussing is the possibility of discriminating against some people because they will be treated differently simply because they are in a particular school.”
He maintained that the right of a student to choose a school does not nullify their constitutional protections, especially where religious freedoms are concerned.
The discussion comes in the wake of a lawsuit filed on December 24, 2024, against Wesley Girls’ Senior High School by private legal practitioner Shafic Osman.
The suit, lodged at the Supreme Court under Articles 2(1)(b) and 130(1)(a) of the 1992 Constitution, challenges alleged restrictions placed on Muslim students at the school.
The plaintiffs claim that Muslim students are barred from wearing the hijab, fasting during Ramadan, and observing other Islamic practices—actions they argue violate constitutional guarantees of religious freedom and amount to discrimination.
