Religious Freedom in Ghana’s Schools: Debate Intensifies Over Wesley Girls SHS Lawsuit

The ongoing legal battle involving Wesley Girls Senior High School (SHS) has brought the issue of religious freedom in Ghana’s educational system to the forefront of national discussions.

The school is facing a lawsuit filed by Shafic Osman, a Ghanaian citizen, who alleges that the institution has been systematically denying Muslim students the right to practice their religion.

The case, which has sparked widespread debate, centers around the claim that the school’s policy of requiring students to adhere to Methodist Christianity violates the constitutional rights of Muslim students. Osman’s legal team argues that the policy infringes on the freedom of belief and religious practice guaranteed by Articles 21(1)(b)(c) and 26 of Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.

In response to the controversy, former Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Charles Aheto-Tsegah, has weighed in, offering a perspective on religious freedom in Ghana’s mission schools. Aheto-Tsegah, in an exclusive interview on GHOne TV, emphasized that students should not feel compelled to remain in institutions that conflict with their religious practices.

“If you think that the rules and the standards of the school do not adhere to the way you want to worship, you have the freedom to go to another school,” he said, suggesting that students should have the flexibility to choose educational institutions that align with their personal religious beliefs.

Aheto-Tsegah also expressed that attending a religiously affiliated school should not lead to a loss of faith. “I don’t think you lose any faith if you’re a Muslim and you go into a school which goes to church… You don’t need to worship in a place which is non-denominational to maintain your beliefs,” he added.

The legal dispute involving Wesley Girls SHS is part of a broader conversation surrounding the treatment of students from diverse religious backgrounds in mission schools. Critics argue that as these institutions increasingly become publicly funded or quasi-public, they must balance their religious foundations with the inclusive nature of the student body.

The case at Wesley Girls underscores a key issue: the rights of students to practice their religion freely within educational institutions that are deeply rooted in a particular faith. As the lawsuit progresses, the question of how Ghana’s mission schools navigate religious diversity continues to challenge the educational and legal landscape, with significant implications for both the future of religious freedom in schools and the policies of mission-based institutions.

Aheto-Tsegah’s perspective highlights the importance of students understanding the religious environment of their chosen schools and respecting the diversity of beliefs within the educational system. While mission schools play an essential role in the country’s education, the debate now centers on how they can adapt to Ghana’s increasingly pluralistic society while maintaining their religious values.