‘We also have rights’ – Catholic Bishops, Christian Council wade into Wesley Girls hijab debate
The Ghana Catholic Bishops’ Conference and the Christian Council of Ghana have defended the right of Christian mission schools to preserve their religious identity and practices.
This comes at a time when national attention is focused on legal challenges involving the rights of Muslim students in mission schools, including the ongoing case against Wesley Girls’ Senior High School.
The Supreme Court has permitted Democracy Hub to join the case against Wesley Girls’ Senior High School as amicus curiae. The case, brought by lawyer Shafic Osman, alleges that the school prevents Muslim students from praying, fasting and observing other religious duties. The Court has ordered Wesley Girls’ to respond formally to the claims within 14 days.
But Attorney-General Dr. Dominic Ayine has rejected allegations of discrimination at Wesley Girls’, arguing that as a Methodist institution, the school has the right to enforce rules aligned with its Christian identity—even if they limit certain religious expressions.
In their joint statement released on Tuesday, November 25, the two Christian bodies addressed growing public debate over whether non-Christian students—especially Muslims—should be allowed to fully observe their religious practices in mission schools. They stressed that their position is not based on intolerance but on protecting institutions that have existed for more than a century.
According to the statement, Christian mission schools were founded by various churches long before the establishment of the Ghanaian state, and their identity cannot be redefined simply because government now supports them.
“State support, therefore, is a partnership, not a takeover,” the statement said. The groups maintained that paying teacher salaries or regulating curricula does not give the state authority to change the schools’ Christian character.
The statement also emphasised that parents freely choose Christian mission schools, often because of their discipline, academic excellence and moral training. Mission school leaders argued that it is therefore unreasonable for anyone to demand that the schools modify their Christian ethos to accommodate every religious preference, especially when other public, private and Islamic schools are widely available.
They warned that allowing parallel religious practices could weaken school discipline and unity. According to them, separate prayer times, uniforms and worship arrangements would disrupt the cohesive environment that has helped mission schools produce disciplined and high-achieving graduates for decades.
The Christian leaders further highlighted practical concerns, saying that adjustments for multiple religious systems would create administrative challenges and risk perceptions of inequality among students.
Their position also rested on constitutional grounds. They argued that freedom of religion and association protects the right of Christian communities to operate schools that reflect their faith. Requiring mission schools to reduce or eliminate their Christian identity, they said, would violate these freedoms.
The statement referenced the Memorandum of Understanding adopted on April 15, 2024, by Government-Assisted and Private Mission Schools. This MoU, developed with support from the National Peace Council, affirms the partnership between the state and mission bodies while encouraging respect, inclusivity and clear guidelines on issues such as fasting and dress codes within the Christian school framework.
In their conclusion, the Christian Council and the Catholic Bishops’ Conference insisted that maintaining the Christian character of mission schools is lawful, historically justified and necessary for preserving their educational philosophy. They said their duty is to welcome students of all backgrounds while protecting the Christian values that define their institutions.
“Defending this heritage is not an act of exclusion,” the statement said, “but a vital affirmation of religious freedom, institutional autonomy, and the enduring pursuit of educational excellence.”
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